Meralco simply said no to a Game 3 against NLEX as the Bolts now gear up for a PBA Season 48 Philippine Cup semifinal clash against Ginebra.
Chris Banchero flipped the switch in the fourth period and Meralco thwarted NLEX, 100-81, to gain a safe passage to the PBA Season 48 Philippine Cup semifinals.
Banchero dropped 15 of his 23 points in the frame to help the Bolts turn a relatively nip-and-tuck battle into a breakaway and set up a clash against Ginebra in the penultimate stage.
The Fil-Italian cager, who also had seven rebounds and six assists, canned a pair of shots from the foul line to give Meralco a comfortable 17-point edge, 94-77, entering the last four minutes.
The Bolts were simply unstoppable from there.
Chris Banchero | Photo (c) PBA
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“In the second half, we kind of locked down in terms of what we needed to do,” said Meralco coach Luigi Trillo.
Cliff Hodge and Allein Maliksi poured in 14 points apiece, while Chris Newsome had 12 points and nine rebounds to his name.
Raymond Almazan had 10 points and seven rebounds before playing sparingly at endgame due to a pain on his hip.
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After a 48-point performance in the opener, Robert Bolick was limited to just 18 markers on a woeful 6-of-18 shooting from the field including 2-for-8 from the three-point area.
Dom Fajardo added 15 points and six rebounds.
The Scores:
MERALCO 100 – Banchero 23, Hodge 14, maliksi 14, Quinto 13, Newsome 12, Almazan 10, Caram 5, Torres 5, Pasaol 2, bates 2
NLEX 81 – Bolick 18, Fajardo 15, Herndon 11, Rodger 10, Semerad 9, Amer 5, Marcelo 5, Valdez 5, Miranda 3, Nieto 0, Anthony 0
Quarterscores: 27-26, 52-49, 76-70, 100-81