MANILA, Philippines – Just when Meralco’s downward spiral looked headed to continue,  Baser Amer came to the rescue.

Amer delivered when it mattered most as he propelled the Bolts to a come-from-behind 108-105 win over NLEX on Sunday, October 14, that halted their six-game losing streak – the franchise’s longest skid in history. 

Scoring just 5 points in the first 3 quarters that saw Meralco trail by twin digits, the 26-year-old poured in 17 of his 22 points in the payoff period, and most importantly, knocked down the game-winning triple. 

He knotted the score at 105-all with an and-one play, secured a crucial offensive rebound and called a timeout, before drilling in a trey with 15 seconds left that gave the Bolts the lead and eventually, the win. 

“Malaking bagay ‘to sa amin kasi anim na talo na eh, ang bigat na sa katawan,” a relieved Amer told reporters after the game. 

(This is a big win for us because we’ve lost 6 straight games. The losses weighed us down.) 

The Bolts’ piling defeats seemed to have taken a toll on Amer after he went scoreless in a close 94-99 loss to NorthPort last Friday. 

Playing a shade under 28 minutes, he missed all of his 7 shot attempts and committed two turnovers. 

But what better way for Amer to rebound from that quiet performance than to tow the Bolts to their first win in almost two months.

Apparently, he has to thank head coach Norman Black for it. 

“Sabi nga nila ‘pag lagi ka natatalo, ‘yung kumpiyansa mo bumababa, ang hirap na gumalaw,” he said. “Pero si coach Norman sobrang professional – kinakausap kami para’ di kami mawalan ng kumpiyansa.” 

(They say that when you keep losing, your confidence dips and you have a hard time moving. But coach Norman is very professional. He talks to us regularly so we won’t lose our confidence.) 

The Bolts (2-6) seek to remain relevant in the playoff race against Magnolia (6-1) on Friday, October 19, at the Ynares Center in Antipolo. – Rappler.com