PBA: Bong Quinto takes charge in OT vs. Magnolia as Meralco bolts into semis 

Bong Quinto’s heroics allowed Meralco to survive Magnolia in overtime, 105-102, in their do-or-die PBA Season 50 Commissioner’s Cup quarterfinals match on Saturday at the Ynares Center Antipolo.

Quinto scored eight points in the extra period to finish with 11 points alongside four rebounds and two assists as the twice-to-beat Bolts avoided a huge upset scare.

The win sent Meralco to the semifinals, where they will go up against the winner of the series between defending champion TNT and top-seeded NLEX.

"First of all, congratulations to Magnolia. They didn't start out well this conference but they won seven of their last eight. They beat us two times, could have been a third," Meralco head coach Luigi Trillo said.

"LA [Tenorio] has done a really good job with Magnolia. You have to commend them."

The match featured a showdown between Quinto and Jerom Lastimosa in the endgame.

Lastimosa hit a triple and completed a three-point play late in the fourth period to give Magnolia an 87-85 lead, but Quinto responded by knocking down a wide open three-pointer that swung the lead back to Meralco, 92-90, with 29.5 seconds left in regulation.

However, Lastimosa also had an answer after sinking a layup to force a deadlock and an eventual overtime.

The two guards traded baskets in the extra period with Quinto burying back-to-back baskets to create a 96-92 lead. Lastimosa then cleaned up a miss by Ian Sangalang and sank an and-one bucket to tie things up at 96-all.

Quinto hit a jumper to create a slim 102-100 lead, which Lastimosa trimmed to just one after splitting his free throws following a foul from the former.

He then made up for it, hitting two consecutive freebies for a comfortable 105-101 edge with five seconds left to play en route to the escape.

Marvin Jones led the offense for Meralco with 28 points alongside nine rebounds, two assists, and a block while Chris Newsome and CJ Cansino finished with 16 markers, five boards, and four dimes.

The loss, meanwhile, spoiled a huge game from Lastimosa, who poured in 28 points, four rebounds, and two assists while import Clint Chapman, who fouled out in the 4:21-mark of the fourth, finished with 26 markers, four boards, and three dimes.

Scores:

Meralco 105 – Jones 28, Newsome 18, Cansino 16, Hodge 14, Quinto 11, Mocon 7, Brickman 6, Banchero 2, Black 2, Bates 1.

Magnolia 102 – Lastimosa 28, Chapman 26, Barroca 22, Lee 8, Sangalang 6, Gomez de Liano 6, Lucero 4, Dela Rosa 2, Alfaro 0, Andrada 0.

Quarters: 19-22, 44-47, 70-72, 92-92, 105-102.

—JKC, GMA News