Meralco Bolts’ Bong Quinto in the PBA Commissioner’s Cup quarterfinals. –MARLO CUETO/INQUIRER.net
Coach Luigi Trillo couldn’t wait to see Meralco head back on the frontlines and face Phoenix once more with a ticket to the semifinals of the PBA Commissioner’s Cup on the line.
“Let’s bring it. Kung kaya bukas, ilaro na namin (If we can play the game tomorrow, let’s do it),” Trillo said, his adrenalin still pumping after the Bolts eked out a 116-107 triple overtime win over the Phoenix Fuel Masters in a thrilling start to the tournament’s quarterfinal phase on Wednesday at PhilSports Arena in Pasig City.
Trillo’s comments prompted Bong Quinto to nod his head and disagree in jest, saying, in Filipino: “If you say so, coach. But you play.”
That triggered some laughter inside the press room as Trillo and Quinto found some time to celebrate being on the winning end of the 14th triple overtime game in league history.
But the Bolts had no reason to overextend their joy, knowing that they were able to pull off an escape act against a Fuel Masters’ side that came into the playoffs as the unexpected team to gain one of the four twice-to-beat slots.
“We have a lot of respect for Phoenix,” said Trillo. “If you see the way they play, they defeated a lot of teams and pulling off upset wins. “If you look at them, they reached second place [in the standings] for a reason. Coach Jamike [Jarin] has been doing a good job, [Jason] Perkins is healthy and they have a lot of materials,” added Trillo.
The sudden death contest is set on Sunday at Mall of Asia Arena, with Meralco, which was denied of a twice-to-beat bonus with its loss to Phoenix late in the eliminations, going for a semis berth for the seventh time in the last eight conferences.
Knowing how it’s done
Chris Newsome leads Meralco Bolts past Phoenix Fuel Masters in the PBA quarterfinals match. –MARLO CUETO/INQUIRER.net
The Bolts are no strangers to overturning their opponent’s twice-to-beat advantage, having done so in the 2020 Philippine Cup bubble by defeating the June Mar Fajardo-less San Miguel Beermen in Angeles City, Pampanga.
Meralco hopes to pull it off without trying to play catch up once more, as seen in their recent matchup when Phoenix led, 36-21, in the second quarter and was seemingly in control in the second half despite attempts to cut closer.
“With us, I don’t know. But when we face them, they would blow us out by 15, right? So we have a lot to improve on in terms of that,” said Trillo.
Unlike in the eliminations, Meralco was able to complete the comeback, with Chris Newsome knocking down a buzzer-beating three at the end of regulation and set up a marathon affair that took forever to finish.
Newsome’s three evoked memories of his recent clutch basket in the East Asia Super League, when his four-point play allowed Meralco’s to force overtime and defeat B.League champion Ryukyu Golden Kings in Macau.
That triple came after Aaron Black handed it off to Newsome with the clock winding down, and the undisputed face of the Meralco franchise responded by knocking down the shot from the right wing to make it 84-all at the end of the fourth.
“That shot wouldn’t have entered if Aaron didn’t give [Newsome that chance],” Trillo said.