Meralco guard Aaron Black during a game against Barangay Ginebra in the 2022 PBA Philippine Cup quarterfinals at Araneta Coliseum. PBA IMAGES
Meralco knows full well from experience that winning one game against Barangay Ginebra is no assurance of a favorable outcome in a playoff series, and coach Luigi Trillo is bracing for a fightback like no other from the Gin Kings, especially from their team leader who played so bad in the series opener.
“They’ve beaten us every series,” said interim coach Luigi Trillo as the Bolts attempt to sweep the Gin Kings in their best-of-three PBA Philippine Cup quarterfinal series on Friday.
Trillo expects Ginebra’s main guns to bounce back from their Game 1 struggles, particularly LA Tenorio who failed to score a single point.
“He’s gonna come back, he’s gonna come back with more resolve,” warned Trillo, referring to Tenorio. “He’s always been a fighter, he’s a champion. We’re gonna be ready for that.”
The Bolts tangle with the Kings at 3 p.m. as the league makes a rare visit to the Filoil EcoOil Centre, known as the usual stomping ground for volleyball and collegiate hoops.
Inside the San Juan City showplace, Meralco is out to pull off a first, which is to beat Ginebra after losing all of the previous five series, including four meetings in the Governors’ Cup Finals.
Led by Chris Newsome and Aaron Black, Meralco pulled off a 93-82 win last Sunday at Smart Araneta Coliseum, continuing its impressive run of form under Trillo, who was tasked to lead the chores after Norman Black left for the United States where his mother passed recently.
Meralco is 5-1 under Trillo, including the quarterfinal opener. But the Bolts remain wary of a Kings fightback.
“This is just one game, we need one more game,” said Trillo. “As much as the guys played well, we know what Ginebra’s about and they’re gonna come back hard in the second game.”
A win will send Meralco to a best-of-seven semis duel against San Miguel Beer, which made short work of Blackwater in their quarterfinal meeting last Wednesday.
Also going for a sweep is Magnolia, which faces NLEX in Game 2 of their own best-of-three quarters at 6 p.m. The Hotshots, led by Mark Barroca, won the opener, 98-89, also on Sunday.
Another strong showing from Black and Newsome could bode well for the Bolts, who have made the semifinals in the last four conferences.
Black tied his career-high with 25 points, including a three-point shot that beat the shot clock in the third when Ginebra reduced the gap to seven, while Newsome posted 19 points, nine rebounds and six assists.
Allen Maliksi (17 points), Cliff Hodge (10 points, five rebounds and three steals) and Bong Quinto (nine points, three rebounds and three assists) were also key in the win.