Meralco Bolts’ Cliff Hodge, Allein Maliksi and Raymond Almazan during Game 5 of the PBA Philippine Cup Finals against San Miguel Beermen. –MARLO CUETO/INQUIRER.net
MANILA, Philippines–Meralco is on the edge of a historic first crown in the PBA.
After nipping San Miguel, 92-88, Friday night at Smart Araneta Coliseum, the Bolts are now up 3-2 in the best-of-seven championship series with a chance to finish off the defending champion this coming Sunday.
History is on the side of the Luigi Trillo and Nenad Vucenic-mentored crew as 15 of the 19 clubs in the last 12 years who won Game 5 after a 2-all deadlock went on to win the title, according to stats chief Fidel Mangonon III.
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Mathematically, that’s a 79 percent possibility favoring the Bolts.
But standing in the way is a San Miguel squad that has a veritable chokehold of PBA titles. And the Beermen, having won 29 titles, know what it takes to pull through in a stage where stakes are at their highest.
San Miguel owns three comebacks in the Finals. The Beermen have figured in 2-3 series deficits thrice and still managed to win the title, the last being against TNT four years ago, also in the Philippine Cup.
READ: Meralco on brink of first PBA title after Game 5 win over San Miguel
The other two instances are against Magnolia during the 2019 All Filipino, and against crowd darling Barangay Ginebra in the 2009 edition of the Fiesta Cup.
Safe to say Meralco has its work cut out for itself this coming Sunday when it tries to finish off the vaunted side at the fabled Big Dome.