Meralco zaps San Miguel to boost playoff chances

Delfin Dioquino

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Meralco zaps San Miguel to boost playoff chances
The Bolts end the elimination round with a fourth straight win to secure at least a playoff for the last quarterfinals berth

MANILA, Philippines – Just a few weeks ago, Meralco looked headed for an early vacation.

But the Bolts may just steer clear of that after manhandling San Miguel, 111-81, in the 2018 PBA Governors’ Cup at the Araneta Coliseum on Saturday, November 3. 

Allen Durham dropped 35 points, 26 rebounds, 7 assists, 2 blocks and 2 steals as the Bolts ended the elimination round with a fourth straight win to improve to 5-6 and assure themselves at least a playoff for the last quarterfinals berth. 

If TNT (4-6) drops its game on Sunday against Barangay Ginebra, Meralco will clinch its playoffs ticket at 7th place and push NLEX (5-6) at 8th.

But if the KaTropa triumph, they will meet the Bolts in a playoff for the final quarterfinals slot as the Road Warriors secure 7th place. 

Meralco trailed 44-49 by halftime before undergoing a major revamp in the 3rd quarter to head into the final frame with a 78-66 lead.

That was when Reynel Hugnatan, who turned 40 on the same day, took over for Meralco as he fired 13 points in the 4th period to help Meralco build a lead as large as 33 points, 111-78. 

Hugnatan, the third oldest active player behind Asi Tualava and Rafi Reavis, fired 19 points and 6 boards in the win. 

Chris Newsome delivered 14 points, 12 assists and 3 rebounds while Baser Amer chalked up 12 points, 10 assists and 7 rebounds for the Bolts, who snapped the Beermen’s four-game winning streak. 

Kevin Murphy finished with 32 points and 10 rebounds but that couldn’t save San Miguel from falling to 6-5 for 6th place. 

Alex Cabagnot had 16 points while Arwind Santos added 11 markers in the loss. 

The Scores

Meralco 111 – Durham 35, Hugnatan 19, Newsome 14, Amer 12, Hodge 9, Canaleta 8, Salva 6, Faundo 2, Bono 0, Jamito 0, Tolomia 0.

San Miguel 81 – Murphy 32, Cabagnot 16, Santos 11, Lassiter 8, Standhardinger 6, Pessumal 5, Nabong 2, Fajardo 1, Ross 0, Rosser 0, Heruela 0, Vigil 0.

Quarters: 26-25, 44-49, 78-66, 111-81.

Rappler.com

 

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Delfin Dioquino

Delfin Dioquino dreamt of being a PBA player, but he did not have the skills to make it. So he pursued the next best thing to being an athlete – to write about them. He took up journalism at the University of Santo Tomas and joined Rappler as soon as he graduated in 2017.