PBA: Meralco destroys Blackwater for third straight win
Meralco left a trail of destruction and on its path was Blackwater after a 102-75 dismantling in the PBA Commissioner’s Cup Friday at Mall of Asia Arena.
The Bolts muscled their way to their third straight win and to a 6-2 record, and a spot in the quarterfinals, while the bottom-dwelling Elite are at a miserable 1-9 card with one more game left in their schedule.
Anjo Caram, who scored eight points in the second quarter, sparked Meralco’s blistering 29-7 run in the period while Baser Amer capped it off with a three-pointer with less than a second remaining to punctuate the half and put the Bolts up 59-30.
Bolts head coach Norman Black knew they had to win against the Elite, and he was glad that his players responded right away.
“I thought my guys played with a sense of urgency as far as this game being a must-win situation for us,” said Black. “I thought my guys did a great job at limiting Blackwater in the first three quarters.”
“The bench did a very good job in not only maintaining the advantage that the first team gave us in the firs three quarters but they were able to increase the advantage and I think a lot of credit goes to our second team particularly to Anjo Caram.”
Meralco’s bench pushed the envelope further at the start of the fourth quarter mounting a 14-5 run in the first five minutes with Mac Baracael’s jumper capping off the spurt for the Bolts’ 93-52 lead.
Arize Onuaku put up a 17-point, 17-rebound double-double to lead the Bolts while Caram finished with 13 points on 6-of-10 shooting.
Cliff Hodge added 12 points and five rebounds for Meralco while Jared Dillinger and Niño Canaleta had 11 and 10 points, respectively.
Henry Walker had 14 points and 13 rebounds for the Elite.
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