Minus key guys, Meralco draws with Korean club Jeonju in tune-up game

Meralco Bolts after a tune-up game. Photo by Mark Giongco

MANILA, Philippines—Shorthanded Meralco settled for a 70-70 stalemate against Korean side Jeonju KCC Egis in a tuneup game Saturday at Meralco Gym.

The Bolts, who continued to miss several of their key players including reinforcement Allen Durham, led for the majority of the game before the Koreans hit a triple with 12.4 seconds left.

Chris Newsome had a chance to win it but his baseline jumper clanked off the rim.

“Well, we’re all Filipino and they have two imports so obviously as a coach you have to be pleased that your was able to play them to a tie,” said Meralco head coach Norman Black.

“We did have an agreement that they would only use one import at a time but in the fourth they used both and that’s when they came back in the game, but at the same time, I’m still happy with the way the locals played, they were very competitive the whole game,” he added. “We should’ve won the game if they had not gone to a two-import and of course, AD wasn’t here.”

Raymond Almazan, who just arrived from a stint with the Philippine team in the Fiba World Cup in China last Tuesday, led the Bolts with 15 points.

Guards Baser Amer and Newsome added 13 and 11 points, respectively.

Durham is still in the US for the birth of his first child. Cliff Hodge, Ranidel De Ocampo and KG Canaleta also missed the game for Meralco.

The Bolts play another Korean team on Wednesday.

They open their campaign in the 2019 PBA Governors’ Cup next Saturday against defending champion Magnolia at Araneta Coliseum.