Healthy Davis boosts Bolts to share of lead

MERALCO import Josh Davis blocks a much-taller Solomon Alabi of Barako Bull in last night’s game at Smart Araneta Coliseum. AUGUST DELA CRUZ

If there were questions regarding the health of Josh Davis in leading Meralco, the hardworking import simply answered in kind.

More than two weeks after coming off a scary fall, Davis scored 32 points and grabbed 19 rebounds in spearheading the Bolts to a 98-85 victory over Barako Bull and a share of the PBA Commissioner’s Cup lead last night at Smart Araneta Coliseum.

“It’s nice to have Josh Davis at 100-percent [health],” Meralco coach Norman Black said after the Bolts arrested a two-game skid and climbed into a tie with idle Talk ‘N Text at the top at 6-2. “His energy and intensity did wonders [for the team].”

Davis scored 10 in the fourth and the Bolts also got huge three-point buckets from Reynel Hugnatan and Gary David in the stretch as they quashed the last of a series of Barako Bull rallies going into the final two minutes.

The Meralco defense also clamped down hard on 7-foot-2 Barako Bull import Solomon Alabi, who finished with just 14 points and 12 rebounds.

In the second game, Arizona Reid dropped 41 points on his former team and led San Miguel Beer to a 129-114 win over Rain or Shine that kept the Beermen in the playoff hunt.

The Beermen won a second straight game and rose to 3-6, still out of the magic circle of eight teams that will advance with two games left, but enjoying good form.

Rain or Shine saw a three-game winning streak come to a halt and dropped to a share of second place with idle Purefoods at 5-3.

Davis had a nasty fall in a defensive play against San Miguel Beer’s June Mar Fajardo a couple of weeks back. Being able to rest during the All-Star break in Palawan last week did his back a lot of good.

Barako Bull lost a third straight game and dropped to 4-5, clinging to a tie for eighth with idle KIA Motors. Only eight of the 12 teams will march past this round.

Meanwhile, Talk ‘N Text will try to get a foot into the top two today when they put their share of the lead on the line against defending champion Purefoods in a Petron Saturday Special Game at Usep gym in Davao City.

The scores:

First Game

MERALCO 98—Davis 32; Hugnatan 21, David 14, Hodge 8, Wilson 7, Dillinger 4, Ferriols 4, Cortez 4, Ildefonso 2, Caram 2, Anthony 0, Buenafe 0, Macapagal 0.

BARAKO BULL 85—Alabi 14, Hubalde 13, Lanete 13, Intal 10, Salva 10, Lastimosa 7, Garcia 6, Pascual 6, Marcelo 4, Matias 2, Salvador 0.

Quarters: 24-20, 49-38, 70-61, 98-85

Second Game

SAN MIGUEL BEER 129—Reid 41, Fajardo 30, Santos 18, Cabagnot 14, Ross 9, Lassiter 8, Kramer 4, Lutz 3, Reyes 2, Maierhofer 0, Omolon 0, Pascual 0, Semerad 0, Fortuna 0, Tubid 0.

RAIN OR SHINE 114—Chism 50, Lee 14, Almazan 10, Ibanes 8, Chan 8, Norwood 7, Cruz 4, Belga 4, Quinahan 4, Tiu 3, Arana 2, Uyloan 0.

Quarters: 32-29, 61-52, 93-79, 129-114