Meralco Bolts dominate NLEX for game one win

MANILA, Philippines – The 2015 PBA Commissioner’s Cup postseason opened with a 97-82 victory by the Meralco Bolts over the NLEX Road Warriors in the first game of their best-of-three quarterfinal series on Friday, March 27, at the Smart Araneta Coliseum. 

Meralco’s balanced attacked was highlighted by the 22-point output of rarely-used sniper Mark Macapagal, who went 5-of-10 from downtown in his best game of the season. 

A total of six players scored in double-figures for the Bolts, who dished out 17 assists. Import Josh Davis was his usual high-energy self and finished with 16 points to go with 21 rebounds, while Sean Anthony and Gary David pitched in 14 and 13 markers, respectively.

“It was a much better effort from us tonight as far as our teamwork is concerned,” said Meralco head coach Norman Black, whose squad won only once in their last six elimination round games. 

“Tonight, we did a much better job of sharing the basketball and getting everybody involved,” he added during the post-game presser. 

NLEX shot a disappointing 37% from the field but stayed within striking distance for the better part of three quarters thanks to quality free throw shooting. Overall, the Road Warriors shot 30-of-39 from the foul line, with import Al Thornton going 17-of-20. 

Thornton, a former swingman for the Los Angeles Clippers in the NBA, registered 23 points and 11 rebounds, but shot just 2-of-13 from the field and committed 6 turnovers.

“I’m hoping we can build on this,” said Black, the second winningest coach in PBA history. “We’ve been talking about getting up our assists and moving the basketball for quite a bit now.”

“Mark Macapagal stepped in for us today and knocked in a lot of perimeter shots,” Black said about his best local performer, who scored just a total of 4 points in the elimination round and didn’t eclipse 7 minutes in a single game. 

Macapagal’s extended play was a product of the Bolts losing Jared Dillinger to a left knee injury he sustained in the first quarter.

“It doesn’t look good, from what the trainer told me,” Black talked about his player’s knee, which was hurt on a drive to the rim by Thornton at the 3:10 mark of the first quarter. “It might be something that will keep him out for the rest of the conference.” 

Dillinger is scheduled for an MRI on Friday night, with the team doctor initially fearing a possible MCL tear or sprain as the issue. 

Veteran scorer Mark Cardona registered 17 points and 6 rebounds while going an effective 6-of-8 from the field, while Jonas Villanueva contributed 13 points and 5 assists. 

Meralco raced off to a quick 11-2 lead in the first quarter, and they maintained that threshold for the remainder of the first half to build a 47-36 lead. 

The Road Warriors opened the third period on a 9-4 run to get within six, but an offensive outburst by the Bolts extended their lead up to 20, 67-47. Just when NLEX looked left for the wolves, a 10-0 run – capped off by a triple from Villanueva – inched them closer anew. 

Davis and the rest of the Bolts picked up key defensive stops early in the fourth quarter that helped spearhead a 12-2 run to extend their team’s advantage back up to 18. 

Not long after, two straight baskets by David put his team ahead by 20, 85-65, to seal the win.

Game two is on Sunday, March 29, at the Smart Araneta Coliseum. 

Scores:

MERALCO 97 – Macapagal 22, Davis 16, Anthony 14, David 13, Cortez 10, Hugnatan 10, Hodge 7, Reyes 2, Ildefonso 2, Wilson 1, Caram 0, Dillinger 0, Ferriols 0

NLEX 82 – Thornton 23, Cardona 17, Villanueva J. 13, Canaleta 8, Villanueva E. 6, Taulava 5, Ramos 4, Raymundo 2, Lingganay 2, Baloria 2, Borboran 0, Apinan 0, Arboleda H. 0 

Quarter Scores: 34-19, 47-36, 69-61, 97-82