FILE–Meralco Bolts in the EASL competition. –EASL PHOTO
MANILA, Philippines–Meralco dimmed its chances of sneaking a Final Four berth in the East Asia Super League after a heartbreaking 81-80 loss to the visiting Seoul SK Knights on Wednesday at Philsports Arena in Pasig City.
The Bolts were a basket away from stealing a win from the visiting Korean Basketball League outfit but import Prince Ibeh couldn’t get a grip on Chris Banchero’s drop pass from the baseline, resulting in a turnover and a defeat in their first official home game of the tournament.
A victory would have completed a big comeback from nine points down in the final minutes, but will drop to the bottom of Group B with a 1-3 record.
Zach Lofton’s 32 points were not enough for Meralco to avoid falling into a situation where it must win its remaining two games in group play and hope for other teams to slip up.
Meralco’s next match is on Jan. 3 against the group leader New Taipei Kings at the same venue.
New Taipei is unbeaten after two games while the Japanese club Ryukyu Golden Kings, who Meralco beat in Macau two weeks prior, is at 2-1.
Seoul improved to third at 2-2 with Jameel Warney scoring 31.
Warney’s basket made it 81-72 for the Knights with 2:40 left in the fourth, but the Bolts reeled off eight consecutive points with Lofton making five of those.
His layup with 42 seconds left put the Bolts behind a point and forced Warney to miss a medium-range attenpt on the ensuing play, leading to the final seconds that stunned the home side.