PBA: Meralco Bolts finish elims above .500 after zapping skidding San Mig Coffee Mixers

The Meralco Bolts blitzed the San Mig Super Coffee Mixers in transition and ran away with an 88-78 win, Monday, in the 2014 PBA Commissioner's Cup at the SMART-Araneta Coliseum.

Meralco (5-4), winners of three of their last five, temporarily holds the fourth seed in the quarterfinals. San Mig Coffee (4-4), having now lost four of its last five, is slotted at the fifth.

Import Darnell Jackson erupted for 31 points, 18 rebounds and four assists. Jared Dillinger scored 21 points and three steals, while Gary David added 18 points and five rebounds as the Bolts overwhelmed the undermanned Mixers.

Marc Pingris (rib) and Justin Melton (finger) did not play due to injuries but can hardly be blamed for the loss: San Mig Coffee went 23-of-35 (65.7 percent) from the line while the Bolts made all but two of their nine free throw attempts.

"We wanted to put our spirit to the test against the [Philippine Cup] champion team and we were rewarded with a victory because of the effort we rendered," said coach Ryan Gregorio. "With a team [like this] you can't just show up and expect to win the game."

Gregorio said the team fulfilled their "modest" goal of ending up between the third and sixth spots in the best-of-three series. Beyond that, he says, he has no preferred or favored opponent. "At this point, you can't really choose," he said.

Imports Darnell Jackson and James Mays went at each other to start the game and racked up 13 points apiece, but it was the locals who gave Meralco the edge in the first. With Ian Sangalang getting slapped two fouls, and James Yap misfiring from the arc, the Bolts ended the frame on a 16-6 run, 26-18.

PJ Simon pulled the Mixers back in the game with great off-ball movement leading to baskets, and feeding Mays inside to sustain their attack. Meralco, devoid of any offensive form, had was stuck in single-digit scoring for the period, until a Chris Timberlake drive with 1:38 left. Simon and Mays scored all but two of their team's points to will San Mig Coffee to a 41-39 halftime advantage.
 

Gary David and Jared Dillinger jolted the Mixers with a string of fast break buckets to start the third, pulling away 57-43. After a couple of quick timeouts, San Mig Coffee slowed the game down and cleaned up their execution. While denying Meralco any chances to run, Yap and Alex Mallari sustained them during a 15-7 run during the last seven minutes. But the Bolts got lucky at the quarter buzzer, as a careless goaltend on a James Sena layup gave them a 66-58 cushion.

The Mixers offense wilted in the fourth and couldn't match Meralco's intensity on that end of the floor. The Bolts still found ways to leak out in transition and finish in style, as Jackson smashed a one-hander off a David lob to take their biggest lead yet, 77-63, with under five minutes left. Mays made one last valiant stand, but couldn't bring the lead to less than 11 points the rest of the way.

Meralco shot 39-of-82 (47.6 percent), helped by an 18-11 lead in fast break points. The Mixers went 26-of-69 (37.7 percent) from the floor.

James Mays had a game-high 33 points, 11 rebounds and two steals. PJ Simon added 13 points and five rebounds, while Alex Mallari had 12 points and eight boards. - AMD, GMA News



The scores:

Meralco 88 - Jackson 31, Dillinger 21, David 18, Hugnatan 6, Sena 4, Timberlake 2, Guevarra 2, Wilson 2, Hodge 2

San Mig Coffee 78 - Mays 33, Simon 13, Mallari 12, Yap 8, Devance 4, Barroca 4, Cawaling 2, Reavis 2, De Ocampo 0, Sangalang 0

Quarter scoring: 26-18, 39-41, 66-58, 88-78