MERALCO’S Cliff Hodge barely misses a shot by Barako Bull’s Joseph Yeo in yesterday’s game at Smart Araneta Coliseum. AUGUST DELA CRUZ
JOSEPH Yeo scored 28 points and Liam McMorrow added 19 and 23 rebounds yesterday as Barako Bull stayed unbeaten in the PBA Governors’ Cup after a come-from-behind 105-99 victory over Meralco at Smart Araneta Coliseum in Cubao.
Yeo dropped his last 11 points in the fourth quarter as the Energy completed a rally from as huge as 19 points down to rise to 4-0 overall in the season-closing conference.
“I am really thankful that Joseph (Yeo) went to us,” Barako Bull coach Koy Banal said. The Energy acquired the high-flying Yeo from Barangay Ginebra before the start of the conference, giving up Sol Mercado in return.
“When we heard that he was going to be traded, it was a no-brainer for us,” Banal added after dealing the Bolts a third loss in five games.
San Miguel Beer rolled to a third straight win, a 100-89 ripping of defending champion Star in a physical contest in the second game.
Arizona Reid fired 29 points and June Mar Fajardo tossed in 21 that went with 20 rebounds as the Beermen improved to 3-2 overall while the Hotshots dropped a third straight game after winning their conference opener.
The 28 points were the highest for Yeo in the last five years after scoring the same last season while he was still with Air21. When the Express sold their franchise to NLEX, Yeo was part of a pre-sale deal to the Gin Kings.
“Four-zero is a sign that everyone is excited in our team,” Banal said. “All credit goes to the players. There are players stepping up every night for us.”
Meralco dropped an 11-0 bomb and turned a 2-6 deficit into an early seven-point lead. The Bolts would later on bloat that spread to 31-12 late in the first quarter and played with command until the third.
RR Garcia and Justin Chua, the players that Banal said stepped up for them in this game, scored eight points each in the third period as the Energy finished with a 34-point output that had them breathing down the necks of the Bolts.
Jake Pascual then hit two clutch baskets in the stretch and helped the Energy put away the Bolts for good.
Barako Bull’s defense also held the Bolts to just 40 points in the middle two quarters after giving up 33 in the opening frame.
Andre Emmet paced the Bolts with 32 points, but had just six in the final canto.
Cliff Hodge added 17, his three-pointer with 1:25 remaining putting Meralco to within 101-99, before Pascual hit the last of those two straight buckets and Yeo added two free throws for what turned out to be the final count with still 37 ticks left.
Five players wound up in twin digits for the Energy, with Garcia finishing with 14 and Pascual ending up with 12 like Chua.
The scores:
First Game
BARAKO BULL 105—Yeo 28, McMorrow 19, Garcia 14, Pascual 12, Chua 12, Lanete 8, Intal 5, wilson 3, Lastimosa 2, Ababou 2, Hubalde 0, Maierhofer 0.
MERALCO 99—Emmett 32, Hodge 17, Cortez 9, David 9, Ando 8, Anthony 7, Guevarra 7, Ferriols 4, Dilinger 2, Nabong 2, Ildefonso 2.
Quarters: 18-33, 41-52, 75-73, 105-99
Second Game
SAN MIGUEL 100—Reid 29, Fajardo 21, Ross 14, Cabagnot 13, Santos 12, Lasiter 6, Tubid 3, Omolon 2, Lutz 0, Espinas 0.
STAR HOTSHOTS 89—Blakely 29, Barroca 15, Yap 11, Mallari 9, Pennisi 8, Devance 5, Melton 4, Pingris 4, Maliksi 4, Simon 0.
Quarters: 22-16, 46-29, 71-64, 100-89