MANILA, Philippines – B-Meg withstood a late-game rally by Barako Bull en route to a 95-90 triumph Friday in the 2012 PBA Governors Cup at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
The Llamados’ athletic import Marcus Blakely starred in the victory as he collected 29 points, plucked 15 rebounds, dished out seven assists and had four steals and two blocks.
B-Meg, which missed the service of Peter June Simon due to injury, though, leaned on Josh Urbiztondo and Marc Pingris to fend off the run of Barako Bull.
Seeing its lead trimmed down each possession in the final four minutes, B-Meg turned to its steady shooting from the stripe with Urbiztondo knocking down four clutch freethrows.
It was a good thing the Llamados had built a 70-56 cushion entering the payoff period on a triple by Blakely just before the buzzer.
Blakely outscored the entire Energy in the third quarter, 17-15, where the Llamados stretched a one-point halftime lead to a 14-point edge.
The Energy, who absorbed their second defeat, stormed back in the game sans their import Jamine Peterson, who only had four markers, on the floor.
Willier Miller and Don Allado paced the comeback, snipping the Llamados lead down 88-92, by combining for 25 points in the final quarter alone.
Miller had 29 points, which went along with seven assists.