MANILA, Philippines – Meralco halted its longest skid in franchise history in the most dramatic fashion with a come-from-behind 108-105 win over NLEX in the 2018 PBA Governors’ Cup at the Araneta Coliseum on Sunday, October 14. 

Enduring a 6-game losing streak, the Bolts didn’t allow another defeat this time as they stormed back from a 16-point deficit behind Baser Amer and import Allen Durham to remain in the playoff hunt with a 2-6 record. 

Amer and Durham combined for 33 points in the final frame alone and came up with the most crucial plays Meralco needed to win its first game in almost two months and extend the Road Warriors’ skid to 3 games. 

After knotting the score at 105-all with an and-one play, Amer converted the most important basket of the game with a backbreaking triple that gave the Bolts the upper hand with 15 seconds left. 

Durham, meanwhile, missed both of his freebies that would have made it a two-possession game in the final 9 seconds but compensated for it with a game-sealing block on Juami Tiongson’s potential game-tying triple. 

Durham finished with 36 points, 18 rebounds, 7 assists, 2 steals and 2 blocks while Amer pumped in 22 points – with 17 coming in the 4th quarter alone – to go with 7 rebounds, 4 steals and 3 assists. 

The Road Warriors were primed to rebound from their back-to-back blowout losses as they led 82-66 early in the 4th only to witness Amer and Durham spoil the party. 

It also didn’t help NLEX’s cause after import Aaron Fuller, who had 31 points, 13 rebounds and 6 assists, fouled out of the game in the final 45 seconds. 

Chris Newsome chalked up 14 points, 9 assists, 4 rebounds and 2 steals while Hugnatan added 12 points, 5 boards and 4 dimes in the win. 

Larry Fonacier had 21 points, 5 assists and 4 rebounds and JR Quinahan churned out 17 points and 8 rebounds for the Road Warriors, who fell to 4-5. 

The Scores

Meralco 108 – Durham 36, Amer 22, Newsome 14, Hugnatan 12, Hodge 10, Caram 8, Lanete 2, Salva 2, Jamito 2, Faundo 0, Atkins 0, Tolomia 0.

NLEX 105 – Fuller 31, Fonacier 21, Quinahan 17, Ighalo 9, Galanza 6, Tallo 5, Marcelo 4, Taulava 3, Rios 3, Soyud 2, Baguio 2, Paniamogan 2, Tiongson 0, Monfort 0.

Quarters: 13-17, 36-39, 66-80, 108-105.

– Rappler.com