Meralco turns back NLEX

MERALCO’S Mark Macapagal (middle) loses possession after getting jammed by an NLEX double team of Anjo Caram (left) and KG Canaleta. AUGUST DELA CRUZ

With Gary David rediscovering his scoring touch, Meralco broke away from NLEX early and shot down the Road Warriors, 90-75, last night to get back in the thick of the fight in the PBA Philippine Cup eliminations at Smart Araneta Coliseum in Cubao, Quezon City.

After struggling to score and gaining playing time in the Bolts’ first three games, David tossed in 23 points—15 of them when Meralco broke the game open early—and led his squad in bouncing back from a 41-point debacle the last time out to Alaska for a 3-1 slate.

Meralco built leads of as huge as 30 points and used them as buffer to hold off the Road Warriors, who got to within nine with under three minutes left only to lose steam and drop to 2-2 overall.

“One, my veterans played very well,” coach Norman Black said when asked what turned the team around after that humiliating setback to the Aces. “Tonight was simply a good game for us.”

David hit seven points in the first period and eight in the second and led the Bolts into taking a 23-point spread into the halftime break which prove too huge of a mountain to climb for the Road Warriors in the second half.

Aside from David, Black cited Jared Dillinger and Mike Cortez, who combined for another 27 points while helping hold the team together when NLEX tried creeping back.

Asi Taulava, the 41-year-old former MVP, scored all of his 24 points in the final two periods for the Road Warriors, who were held to just 29 points at the half and trailed, 69-39, early in the third period.

After coming off an impressive outing where they dealt Barangay Ginebra its first loss last week, the Road Warriors just couldn’t hit the big shots this time.

Up until the final five minutes, NLEX didn’t have a single three-point conversion, with its first, courtesy of Nino Canaleta, shoving the Road Warriors to within 70-83.

The scores:

First Game

MERALCO 90—David 23, Dillinger 17, Cortez 10, Caram 9, Anthony 7, Hugnatan 7, Macapagal 5, Hodge 4, Buenafe 4, Sena 4, Ferriols 0, Ildefonso 0, Guevarra 0, Atkins 0.

NLEX 75—Taulava 24, Cardona 14, Baloria 14, Canaleta 9, Ramos 6, Villanueva E. 3, Apinan 3, Camson 2, Raymundo 0, Villanueva J. 0, Borboran 0, Arboleda W. 0, Arboleda H. 0, Poligrates 0.

Quarters: 25-11, 52-29, 71-51, 90-75