PBA: Newsome takes over, Meralco nips Magnolia in OT

Chris Newsome was all over for the Bolts. PBA IMAGES

MANILA, Philippines — Chris Newsome took over down the stretch as Meralco outlasted Magnolia in overtime, 109-104, in the PBA Philippine Cup Tuesday at AUF Sports Arena & Cultural Center in Angeles, Pampanga.

Newsome scored nine of the Bolts’ 15 points in OT, including a contested fadeaway jumper from the baseline that gave his team a 107-104 cushion with 10.2 seconds left.

The 30-year-old guard finished with 23 points, seven rebounds and six assists to help Meralco level its record to 2-2.

“We had a really good chance to win the game in regulation but we missed a foul shot and then we committed a foul to give them two foul shots to tie the game, but I told the players, we’re in overtime so we still have a chance to win the game so let’s just go out there and win it,” Meralco head coach Norman Black said.

“The guys played very, very well in the overtime period.”

Rookie Aaron Black and Trevis Jackson also provided a much-needed lift for Meralco off the bench.

Black had 16 points, four rebounds and four assists while Jackson, the fifth pick in the 2018 PBA Draft, scored all of his 10 points inside the final eight minutes of the fourth quarter.

Paul Lee posted a game-high 32 points for the Hotshots, who missed the services of Ian Sangalang and Rome Dela Rosa.

Magnolia, which blew a 10-point lead it built early in the final frame, lost for the second straight time and slid to 1-3.