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Less than a month into the new season, Meralco has done what other formidable teams haven’t achieved— perform better than it did in the previous PBA Philippine Cup.
A lot of that has to do with the fact that the Bolts did not exactly have a Philippine Cup to remember.
But much of it also has to do with how it is performing in this year’s tournament.
With one of the most prolific rookies in the field and the best sophomore in the lot, the Bolts shoot for a third straight win—triple their win total here last season—as they battle Alaska and the Aces’ formidable pressure defense in the elimination round today at Smart Araneta Coliseum.
“That game will test our ability to play against a quick (and) fast team,” Meralco coach Norman Black said as they come into the 7 p.m. game where a share of the lead is in store for his Bolts.
Ed Daquioag, the gunslinger out of Santo Tomas in the UAAP and Meralco’s pick in the Gilas Cadet Draft, and Chris Newsome, last season’s top rookie who is not even close to being gobbled up by the sophomore jinx, are slowly becoming the Bolts’ 1-2 punch and will be Alaska’s defensive concerns.
“I’m just going to let him be him,” said Black, when asked if he wasn’t wary of Daquioag being scouted this early.
“He’s very intelligent and athletic, a very productive player on both ends that if he keeps playing this way, he’ll (continue to) play.”
Daquioag tossed in 23 points in each of the last two Meralco games—both victories—while Newsome has been holding the team together, a responsibility he embraced with gusto ever since former national team hero Jimmy Alapag retired at the start of the season.
“Limiting our turnovers versus their pressure defense and controlling our defensive rebounds will be the keys for us in that game,” Black, who experienced one of his worst coaching conferences when the Bolts won just one of 12 games here last season, said.
“I’m just happy to have a couple of good young guys who can deliver,” Black went on.
Alaska, meanwhile, is slowly rounding out to top form with its best players returning to active duty one after the other.
The Aces broke through against GlobalPort last week when Calvin Abueva made his season debut with a loud bang.
Sonny Thoss, the Aces’ starting center, was actually ready for that game and could be put in the fray by coach Alex Compton today, and give Alaska added muscle in the position where the Bolts are weakest.
Meanwhile, Blackwater, which made heads turn in the first two weeks, tries to arrest a two-game slide in the 4:15 p.m. contest as it clashes with an NLEX crew that is also itching to get back on track.