Amer takes over late as Meralco frustrates NorthPort in 2OT

MANILA, Philippines – Baser Amer carried the scoring cudgels late to propel Meralco to a 126-123 double overtime win over NorthPort in the 2019 PBA Philippine Cup at the Araneta Coliseum on Friday, March 8.

Amer fired 8 of his 23 points in the second overtime to give the Bolts a lead big enough to stave off the Batang Pier to snap their three-game losing streak and hike their record to 3-5. 

Two consecutive three-pointers and a floater from Amer handed Meralco a 123-117 advantage with 1:27 minutes left before NorthPort narrowed the gap to 2 points off a Mo Tautuaa alley-oop, 123-125. 

Nico Salva split his freebies on the next possession with 4 seconds left to leave the comeback door ajar for NorthPort but Meralco did not allow another extra period after disrupting an inbound pass for Stanley Pringle. 

Chris Newsome paced the Bolts with 28 points – highlighted by the alley-oop bucket that forced overtime – to go with 12 rebounds, 7 assists and 4 steals while Cliff Hodge had 23 points, 10 rebounds and 2 steals. 

The Batang Pier were primed to end their three-game skid after leading 106-100 with 30 seconds left in regulation before the Bolts tallied 6 straight points, capped by Newsome's alley-oop, to force overtime. 

NorthPort also held the upper hand late in the first overtime, 113-109, with less than two minutes left but failed to get the job done as Newsome and Salva knocked down back-to-back buckets. 

Ranidel de Ocampo finished with 15 points, 9 rebounds and 8 assists while Salva and Trevis Jackson added 16 and 11 points in the win. 

Pringle, who returned from a one-game suspension, saw his 33-point, 5-rebound, 3-assist and 3-steal output go to waste as the Batang Pier crashed to their fourth straight loss for a 2-4 card. 

Sean Anthony had 31 points, 16 rebounds, 4 assists and 3 steals while Tautuaa chimed in 21 points, 8 rebounds and 3 assists in the losing effort. – Rappler.com