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Chito Victolero had the right assessment about his Star Hotshots’ crucial match with Meralco in the PBA Commissioner’s Cup when he said that this would very much be a defensive game.
Meralco’s Norman Black wasn’t off-target when he said that, for a change, offensive execution would decide this game, which could very well mean the first twice-to-beat privilege in the import-spiced conference.
The Hotshots forced the Bolts to flounder in their offensive sets and scooted away in the fourth, with a 108-90 victory Wednesday at Smart Araneta Coliseum in Cubao.
The victory gave Star the solo lead and virtually a tie for a top two ranking in the first round of the playoffs.
Star held the Bolts scoreless in the first seven minutes of the payoff frame to post its eighth win in 10 starts pulling away, and Victolero later acknowledged that he would need some sort of help from sister teams San Miguel Beer and Barangay Ginebra to seal the deal.
“We lost to both of them (in the eliminations), so we will lose in the quotient if we end up tied (for a top two finish),” he said after getting five players, led by the 32 points of Ricard Ratliffe, in twin digits.
The Beermen and the Gin Kings have 6-2 records with three games left each, and sweeps of their remaining games would give them 9-2 slates, the same card that Star can have in the event of a win over Alaska on Wednesday at Cuneta Astrodome.
From an 81-75 count at the end of the third, the Hotshots allowed the first Meralco points to come with 4:56 left. But that Kelly Nabong jumper did little to make a dent on what was already a 19-point lead.
“I told my players that this would be a defensive game,” Victolero said. “I am very happy with the result. We played a solid 48 minutes.”
Chris Newsome score 25 points to pace the Bolts, who got just nine points and nine rebounds from import Alex Stepheson.
Meanwhile, NLEX finally notched a victory in this tournament after it rallied from a 20-point first quarter deficit and clipped Alaska, 100-92, in the first game.
The Road Warriors snapped a 13-game losing streak that dates back to the start of the year while putting the Aces’ playoff chances in jeopardy.
After losing a string to open up this conference, NLEX coach Yeng Guiao found a silver lining in the victory Wednesday.
“This is a good win for us. We need a lot more situations like this where we can build character,” Guiao, a six-time champion, said.