Allen Durnham. PBA IMAGES
Allen Durham rediscovered his dominant form and Meralco got back on track with a wire to wire win over Rain or Shine, 109-102, in the 2016 PBA Governors’ Cup Wednesday at Smart Araneta Coliseum.
Durham posted a double-double with 32 points and 12 rebounds while shooting 56% from the field after coming into the game averaging just 15.5 points on 42% from the field.
“I think it was really the first quarter where we got off to a good start. It also helped us that Allen Durham played a lot better today,” said Meralco head coach Norman Black, whose squad snapped a two-game slide and improved to 3-2.
“Today, he came out very aggressive and that made a big difference in terms of our start to this game,” Black said of Durham, who seemed to have finally gotten used to wearing his protective black mask after breaking his nose three weeks ago.
Durham and rookie Chris Newsome teamed up in the opening quarter where the Bolts got off to a 16-0 start.
Meralco’s other rookie guard Baser Amer also played crucial minutes in the second quarter, scoring eight of his 10 points that spearheaded the Bolts’ 17-4 run to end the first half.
Dior Lowhorn had 25 points for the Elasto Painters, whose winning streak ended at two games as they dropped to 2-2.
Rain or Shine played nowhere near its championship form and at one point trailed by as much as 26.