Rampaging Bolts

Alaska’s Vic Manuel won’t allow Meralco’s Mike Tolomia an easy basket during their PBA semifinal match on Sunday. —AUGUST DELA CRUZ

After battling injuries to key men, barely putting a foot in the playoffs and surviving six knockout matches, Meralco continued to inch its way back to the Finals of the PBA Governors’ Cup.

Knocking down shots that quelled several Alaska rallies in the fourth quarter, the Bolts took a 1-0 lead in their Final Four series with fancied Alaska after a 97-92 victory on Sunday night to move within two more wins of making a third straight title series appearance in the season-ending conference.

Owning the shortest rotation in the tournament with several men still in injured bay, the Bolts played with complete command at Ynares Center in Antipolo, keeping the Aces within arm’s length all throughout the fourth period.

“You’re just never really done until you play your last game,” said Chris Newsome, who scored 16 points and had seven rebounds in providing a great backup job to import Allen Durham, as the Bolts take momentum heading into Game 2 Tuesday at Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City.

Durham slowed down in the fourth, with Newsome and the other locals coming up with the finishing touches to the authoritative win that wasn’t reflected in the final tally.

Durham still finished with 32 points, 14 rebounds and six assists even with coach Norman Black preparing him well for the next game by playing him under 40 minutes.

Mike Harris scored 37 points, but Alaska was slowed down by the lack of local support for its talented import. Only Chris Banchero and Vic Manuel scored in twin digits.

The winner of the race-to-3 series will advance to face either Magnolia or Barangay Ginebra in a best-of-seven title match-up. The Hotshots will be shooting for a 2-0 lead on Monday at 7 p.m. at Smart Araneta Coliseum.

Magnolia main local Paul Lee believes they remain the underdogs despite drawing first blood, 106-98, on Saturday also at Ynares Antipolo.

This mindset could serve the Hotshots well as they aim to dethrone the Gin Kings, champions of the season-ending conference the last two years.

“It’s zero-zero [in the standings] again as far as we’re concerned,” said Lee, who scored 27 points in their Game 1 win that snapped a seven-game slide against the Kings.

The scores:

MERALCO 97—Durham 32, Newsome 16, Amer 14, Hugnatan 9, Caram 7, Faundo 6, Canaleta 6, Tolomia 5, Salva 2, Dillinger 0.

ALASKA 92—Harris 37, Banchero 16, Manuel 14, Casio 5, Enciso 5, Exciminiano 5, Teng 4, Pascual 4, Galliguez 2, Baclao 0, Racal 0, Thoss 0.
Quarters: 25-17, 47-34, 72-56, 97-92