Mac Belo stars, defense holds as Meralco cruises to big win over NorthPort

The Meralco Bolts got a huge game from Mac Belo and a strong effort from their defense as they cruised to an 85-63 victory over the NorthPort Batang Pier on the opening day of the 2021 PBA Philippine Cup on Friday.

Belo, who was acquired by the team in a trade last February, posted a career-high of 27 points on 11-for-18 shooting from the field alongside nine rebounds and three assists to lead Meralco.

Allein Maliksi was the only other Bolts player in double figures with 14 points, but it was the defense that played a big part in the win.

They held NorthPort to 17-for-81 shooting (20%) from the field and 5-for-33 (15%) from three while giving up only nine and 12 points in the first and third quarters respectively.

Sidney Onwubere led the Batang Pier with 13 points while Robert Bolick scored 11, but struggled shooting the ball with 4-for-19 from the field.

Meralco’s defense held steady early in the game as they opened up a comfortable lead, 18-9.

Behind the play of Bolick, Northport did better in the second quarter, where they edged Meralco slightly to come back to within seven points, 36-29, at the half.

But the Bolts defense against showed up in the third period. They held the Batang Pier to just 12 points in the period, while their offense was able to put up 24, many of those from Belo, who by himself matched NorthPort’s entire output as a team in the third.

Belo scored the first seven Meralco points in the third and 12 of the first 14 as his three-point play at 5:17 mark made it a 50-38 lead for the Bolts. His last five points were part of a 15-3 run to close the third with a whopping 60-41 lead.

NorthPort tried to challenge in the fourth quarter behind Onwubere and rookie Jamie Malonzo. A three-pointer from Malonzo cut their deficit to 15 points, 68-53, before Belo scored five unanswered points to make it a 20-point game.

Back-to-back threes from Belo and Meralco’s rookie Alvin Pasaol pushed that advantage up to 24 points, 79-55.

—JMB, GMA News