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PBA: Meralco avoids another meltdown with win over Barako
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Ronald Tubid (R) tries to stop Cliff Hodge, but the rookie and the rest of the Meralco Bolts were the ones who emerged triumphant. KC Cruz
Barako Bull cut a 19-point lead to only six in the fourth before Meralco buckled down on defense to secure another victory, 85-73, on Friday at the Araneta Coliseum.
"Lessons are all worth it as long as we learn something from it," said Meralco head coach Ryan Gregorio. "Now after relinquishing our lead, we know how to react. Composure is still something we're really trying to learn."
"Lessons are all worth it as long as we learn something from it," said Meralco head coach Ryan Gregorio. "Now after relinquishing our lead, we know how to react. Composure is still something we're really trying to learn."
After a Hugnatan hangtime move put Meralco up 11, 73-63, Barako went on a 5-0 run after an Alvarez trey and a Tubid short stab to cut the lead to six, 73-67. The Bolts responded with a 9-0 run, as a pair of freethrows from Nabong made it 82-67 with 5:04 to go.
A Penissi shot marked the last two minutes, before Tubid made it an 11-point game with 1:45 to go. A Kelly Nabong basket with 41 seconds remaining sealed the win for Meralco, who goes up to fourth place in the standings with a 7-6 win-loss card.
Meralco was up six at the end of the first, before Barako cut the lead to four early in the second, 25-21. The Bolts then went on a 15-0 run to bury the Energy in a 19-point hole after a pair of Chris Ross freethrows, 40-21.
A short jumper finally gave Barako much-needed points, before Cliff Hodge hit a one-hander with 3:23 remaining, 42-23. A Tubid trey was then followed by split from the line by Mick Penissi, before Lester Alvarez hit a long three with two seconds remaining to cut the lead to 12, 42-30.
The Bolts re-established a 19-point lead midway through the third after consecutive hits by Mark Cardona, Sol Mercado, and Reynel Hugnatan, but Barako would get back into the game after a trey and several freethrows, 67-57, heading into the final period. - RAF, GMA News
The scores:
MERALCO 85 - Nabong 12, Mercado 11, Hugnatan 11, Salvacion 11, Hodge 8, Buenafe 7, Ross 6, Reyes 6, Cardona 6, Sharma 6, Borboran 1.
BARAKO 73 - Tubid 20, Alvarez 12, Seigle 11, Najorda 8, Kramer 7, Pennisi 6, Ballesteros 4, Anthony 3, Cruz 2, Co 0, Yap 0.
Quarters: 25-19, 42-30, 67-57, 85-73
