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PBA: Dawson dumps 57 as Meralco deals Petron its third straight loss
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June Mar Fajrdo (white) is a step too slow to get past Meralco Bolt import Eric Dawson, who had a prolific scoring night. KC Cruz
(Updated 7:47pm) The Meralco Bolts leaned on the inspired performance of their import, Eric Dawson, who scored 57 points en route to a 102-92 victory against the Petron Blaze Boosters on Friday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
The Bolts won their second game in a row after dropping their last two and improved to 6-5 to move up to third place, tying with their opponents and Barangay Ginebra.
The Boosters on the other hand, have now lost their third game in a row.
After a see-saw game in which no team led by more than seven points, Eric Dawson and Reynel Hugnatan tag-teamed in an 18-2 run early in the fourth quarter to seize a 93-80 lead. Petron tried to make its last stand in the final four minutes, but they couldn't get it together on the defensive end, trailing by no less than nine points.
"I haven't seen anything like Dawson's performance for a long, long time," said Bolts head coach Ryan Gregorio. "You don't expect a guy to score 50 points. Petron did their job defensively, but Eric was just on fire. He towed us to victory in tonight's game."
Former San Antonio Spur Dawson racked up 57 points, 14 rebounds, four steals and three blocks on 20-of-34 shooting (58.8 percent). Mac Cardona and Hugnatan added 13 points apiece and combined for six rebounds.
"I'm always inspired to play basketball," said Dawson. We've got a very supportive coaching staff that tells us not to be afraid to leave it all out on the floor."
Dawson's previous career-high was 41 points in the NBA D-League as a player on the Austin Toros in 2008. Dawson registered the highest individual output in the PBA since Derrick Brown's 57-point game for Sta. Lucia in 2004.
Henry Sims, a former Georgetown Hoya, made his debut with the Petron franchise in this game, while Ronald Tubid did not play today due to sore eyes. Chris Lutz returned to the line-up after being sidelined by a rib injury earlier in the conference.
The Bolts went early to Eric Dawson, who operated from the elbow to score Meralco's first nine points. On the other hand, the Boosters struggled to get clean looks at the basket, but outside contributions from Marcio Lassiter and Henry Sims allowed them to tie the game at 11-all.
Meralco was forced to sit Cliff Hodge after the rookie forward picked up his third foul early on. Sunday Salvacion drained a triple to briefly lift the Bolts, but the lack of scoring was glaring as the Boosters swung the ball around for open jumpers. Arwind Santos nailed a short baseline jumper to punctuate a 9-3 run.
The pace quickened in the last four minutes, as both teams pushed the ball, while Dawson and Santos traded shots, but Petron did enough to defend their six-point lead after the first period, 28-20.
Both teams tried to grind it out in the second quarter when their outside stroke wasn't falling. The Bolts' defense held its own as they crept forward via a 9-4 stretch, capped by a fast break slam by Dawson, 35-33.
The game became an import face-off with four minutes to play, as Sims and Dawson traded baskets. Meralco took a 40-39 edge after a Dawson jumper, but Sims had support as Lassiter chipped with in back-to-back buckets with over a minute to play, letting Petron escape with a 47-46 lead at halftime.
Meralco's Dawson had 30 points and three blocks in the first two periods on 11-of-20 shooting from the field (55 percent). Only Mac Cardona made more than one field goal among the local Bolts as they combined for a 5-of-13 clip (38.5 percent).
In comparison, the Boosters were 19-of-42 (45.2 percent), led by Sims' 16 points on a 7-of-15 clip, while four other locals had already registered at least six points.
Dawson showed no signs of slowing down in the third quarter, as he hit from all around the paint for 11 of the Bolts' next 14 points. Meanwhile, the Boosters took turns stepping up to the plate, as their dribble penetration opened up shots for Lassiter, Alex Cabagnot and Jay Washington, tying the game at 60-60.
Tensions escalated in the arena after a wrong out-of-bounds call awarded possession to Meralco with under five minutes to play. Things also got chippy between Santos and Hodge, and Dawson and Washington, as the Bolts didn't appreciate Petron's defensive plays. However, cooler heads prevailed among the Meralco squad, as Dawson made two more charities after the Washington foul to put his team ahead, 66-64.
Meralco's locals stepped up in the last three minutes, as a Josh Vanlandingham and Mac Cardona scored seven of their last nine, taking a 75-70 lead into the final quarter.
The Bolts posted 11-of-22 from the field (50 percent) in the pivotal third quarter. In contrast, Petron started to taper off, shooting 9-of-23 field goals (39.1 percent).
Petron worked through Sims in the post at the start of fourth period. The Boosters scored eight unanswered points, capped by a two-handed flush by Sims, 78-75, but Sunday Salvacion drained one from downtown and teamed up with Eric Dawson and Reynel Hugnatan, as the pair punished Petron on the low block for an 18-2 counterattack, 93-80.
Alex Cabagnot drained two with over three minutes to play, ending the Boosters' four-minute dry spell, but Petron seemed to run out of gas as they couldn't connect on the shots that had been there all game long. The Boosters came closest at 96-87, on split free throws by Denok Miranda with under two minutes remaining on the game clock.
Despite a 55-37 rebounding advantage (including 26-7 on the offensive glass), Petron was held to 36-of-87 from the field tonight (41.4 percent). Meanwhile, Dawson lifted his team to a 35-of-69 performance (50.7 percent).
Meralco made 29-of-36 free throws (80.6 percent), led by Dawson's 11-of-22 clip. Petron shot 15-of-25 from the line (60 percent).
Petron had a 16-6 advantage in second-chance points.
Henry Sims, who was brought in to replace Rodney White, who in turn had replaced Renaldo Balkman, had 23 points on 9-of-22 shooting, and 16 rebounds to lead all Boosters.
Marcio Lassiter added 15 points, seven rebounds and five assists, and Arwind Santos tallied 10 points and seven boards. - RAF, GMA News
The Bolts won their second game in a row after dropping their last two and improved to 6-5 to move up to third place, tying with their opponents and Barangay Ginebra.
The Boosters on the other hand, have now lost their third game in a row.
After a see-saw game in which no team led by more than seven points, Eric Dawson and Reynel Hugnatan tag-teamed in an 18-2 run early in the fourth quarter to seize a 93-80 lead. Petron tried to make its last stand in the final four minutes, but they couldn't get it together on the defensive end, trailing by no less than nine points.
"I haven't seen anything like Dawson's performance for a long, long time," said Bolts head coach Ryan Gregorio. "You don't expect a guy to score 50 points. Petron did their job defensively, but Eric was just on fire. He towed us to victory in tonight's game."
Former San Antonio Spur Dawson racked up 57 points, 14 rebounds, four steals and three blocks on 20-of-34 shooting (58.8 percent). Mac Cardona and Hugnatan added 13 points apiece and combined for six rebounds.
"I'm always inspired to play basketball," said Dawson. We've got a very supportive coaching staff that tells us not to be afraid to leave it all out on the floor."
Dawson's previous career-high was 41 points in the NBA D-League as a player on the Austin Toros in 2008. Dawson registered the highest individual output in the PBA since Derrick Brown's 57-point game for Sta. Lucia in 2004.
Henry Sims, a former Georgetown Hoya, made his debut with the Petron franchise in this game, while Ronald Tubid did not play today due to sore eyes. Chris Lutz returned to the line-up after being sidelined by a rib injury earlier in the conference.
The Bolts went early to Eric Dawson, who operated from the elbow to score Meralco's first nine points. On the other hand, the Boosters struggled to get clean looks at the basket, but outside contributions from Marcio Lassiter and Henry Sims allowed them to tie the game at 11-all.
Meralco was forced to sit Cliff Hodge after the rookie forward picked up his third foul early on. Sunday Salvacion drained a triple to briefly lift the Bolts, but the lack of scoring was glaring as the Boosters swung the ball around for open jumpers. Arwind Santos nailed a short baseline jumper to punctuate a 9-3 run.
The pace quickened in the last four minutes, as both teams pushed the ball, while Dawson and Santos traded shots, but Petron did enough to defend their six-point lead after the first period, 28-20.
Both teams tried to grind it out in the second quarter when their outside stroke wasn't falling. The Bolts' defense held its own as they crept forward via a 9-4 stretch, capped by a fast break slam by Dawson, 35-33.
The game became an import face-off with four minutes to play, as Sims and Dawson traded baskets. Meralco took a 40-39 edge after a Dawson jumper, but Sims had support as Lassiter chipped with in back-to-back buckets with over a minute to play, letting Petron escape with a 47-46 lead at halftime.
Meralco's Dawson had 30 points and three blocks in the first two periods on 11-of-20 shooting from the field (55 percent). Only Mac Cardona made more than one field goal among the local Bolts as they combined for a 5-of-13 clip (38.5 percent).
In comparison, the Boosters were 19-of-42 (45.2 percent), led by Sims' 16 points on a 7-of-15 clip, while four other locals had already registered at least six points.
Henry Sims (white) couldn't give his Petron side a win in his debut game. KC Cruz
Dawson showed no signs of slowing down in the third quarter, as he hit from all around the paint for 11 of the Bolts' next 14 points. Meanwhile, the Boosters took turns stepping up to the plate, as their dribble penetration opened up shots for Lassiter, Alex Cabagnot and Jay Washington, tying the game at 60-60.
Tensions escalated in the arena after a wrong out-of-bounds call awarded possession to Meralco with under five minutes to play. Things also got chippy between Santos and Hodge, and Dawson and Washington, as the Bolts didn't appreciate Petron's defensive plays. However, cooler heads prevailed among the Meralco squad, as Dawson made two more charities after the Washington foul to put his team ahead, 66-64.
Meralco's locals stepped up in the last three minutes, as a Josh Vanlandingham and Mac Cardona scored seven of their last nine, taking a 75-70 lead into the final quarter.
The Bolts posted 11-of-22 from the field (50 percent) in the pivotal third quarter. In contrast, Petron started to taper off, shooting 9-of-23 field goals (39.1 percent).
Petron worked through Sims in the post at the start of fourth period. The Boosters scored eight unanswered points, capped by a two-handed flush by Sims, 78-75, but Sunday Salvacion drained one from downtown and teamed up with Eric Dawson and Reynel Hugnatan, as the pair punished Petron on the low block for an 18-2 counterattack, 93-80.
Alex Cabagnot drained two with over three minutes to play, ending the Boosters' four-minute dry spell, but Petron seemed to run out of gas as they couldn't connect on the shots that had been there all game long. The Boosters came closest at 96-87, on split free throws by Denok Miranda with under two minutes remaining on the game clock.
Despite a 55-37 rebounding advantage (including 26-7 on the offensive glass), Petron was held to 36-of-87 from the field tonight (41.4 percent). Meanwhile, Dawson lifted his team to a 35-of-69 performance (50.7 percent).
Meralco made 29-of-36 free throws (80.6 percent), led by Dawson's 11-of-22 clip. Petron shot 15-of-25 from the line (60 percent).
Petron had a 16-6 advantage in second-chance points.
Henry Sims, who was brought in to replace Rodney White, who in turn had replaced Renaldo Balkman, had 23 points on 9-of-22 shooting, and 16 rebounds to lead all Boosters.
Marcio Lassiter added 15 points, seven rebounds and five assists, and Arwind Santos tallied 10 points and seven boards. - RAF, GMA News
The scores:
MERALCO 102 - Dawson 57, Cardona 13, Hugnatan 13, Salvacion 8, Timberlake 4, Vanlandingham 3, Hodge 2, Reyes 2, Ross 0, Buenafe 0.
PETRON 92 - Sims 23, Lassiter 15, Santos 10, Cabagnot 9, Fajardo 8, Washington 8, Lutz 6, Miranda 6, Pena 5, Lanete 2.
Quarters: 22-28, 46-47, 75-70, 102-92
