Meralco import Suleiman Braimoh.–PBA IMAGES
MANILA, Philippines–Meralco played with sustained brilliance on Sunday afternoon to pound TNT, 109-95, in the PBA Commissioner’s Cup at Philsports Arena in Pasig City.
The Bolts drew 35 points from import Suleiman Braimoh Jr., 18 from the returning Chris Banchero, and at least 12 more from three other players to get back to the win column and rise to 3-1 overall.
“TNT is a champion team … We had to gut it out with them,” coach Luigi Trillo said as his charges joined Phoenix at second place. “But it’s nice that we could put the ball in CB’s (Chris) hands, and he went to work there in the fourth quarter.”
“It felt good. Obviously, the first five minutes I had to get used to. But I’m glad that I eventually felt good the entire game,” said the Fil-Italian Banchero, who missed the Bolts’ first three games due to a hamstring injury.
Chris Banchero.–PBA IMAGES
Meralco enjoyed leads of as many as 14 points at a time when it was still missing the likes of Aaron Black and Allein Maliksi.
Rondae Hollis-Jefferson accounted for half of TNT’s output, putting up 47 points and 12 rebounds. But unlike their corporate siblings, the Tropang Giga hardly got any other significant production outside Jayson Castro’s 19 points.
TNT dropped to 2-2, joining NLEX and NorthPort in the middle of the pack.