Meralco downs SMB, leaves cellar

WEST: 40 points. AUGUST DELA CRUZ

MARIO West scored 40 points as Meralco upset the  short-handed San Miguel Beer, 90-74, yesterday to crash into the playoff picture of the PBA Governors’ Cup at Xavier University gym in Cagayan de Oro.

West highlighted his scorching offensive effort by hitting the first eight points of the third period as the Bolts broke away from a 40-41 game.

The win was just the second in seven games for the Bolts, who moved up to No 8  and left Barako Bull and Globalport tied at the cellar with 1-5 cards.

“It’s survival instinct,” Meralco coach Ryan Gregorio said after the win. “We will not retreat, we will not surrender. This win averted outright elimination for us. We will just keep on fighting.”

Incidentally, the Energy and the Batang Pier clash at 3  p.m. today when action moves to Alonte Sports Arena in Binan, Laguna in a virtual KO game.

The loser in the Barako Bull-Globalport tussle will practically bow out of it all and become the first of two casualties in the season-ending tournament

Cliff Hodge scored 12 and Reynel Hugnatan added 10  for the Bolts, who  defended the paint like crazy to negate the huge advantage in size that the Beermen had through the 6-foot-10 June Mar Fajardo.

Breakaway period

Meralco sat on a 71-55 lead at the end of the third quarter and never wavered from there, keeping the Beermen at bay inside the oven-hot facility before eventually dealing San Miguel its third loss in seven outings.

Talk ‘N Text is in the solo lead at the moment with a 5-1 record, which Barangay Ginebra can tie with a win against resurgent Rain or Shine in the other game slated today at 5:15 p.m.

San Miguel again played minus starting point guard Chris Ross and swingman Marcio Lassiter, who are out of commission because of different leg injuries.

Meralco was also able to hold down prolific San Miguel import Reggie Williams to just 17 points. Fajardo led the Beermen with 22 points.

The scores:

MERALCO 90—West 40, Hodge 12, Hugnatan 10, Guevarra 8, David 8,  Dillinger 7,  Cortez 2,  Ballesteros 2,  Ildefonso 1,  Caram 0, Bringas 0.

SAN MIGUEL BEER 74—Fajardo 22, Williams 17,  Tubid 10,  Mercado 8, Kramer 6, Santos 5,  Lanete 4, Chua 2,  Lutz 0,  Maiehofer 0,  Duncil 0.

Quarters:  26-18,   40-41,   71-55,   90-74