Injury-hit Meralco now has back to the wall in the EASL
Japan B.League’s Ryukyu Golden Kings and PBA’s Meralco Bolts clash in the East Asia Super League. –EASL PHOTO
Meralco has been bit by the injury bug—the same thing that has hounded the Bolts since the start of the PBA season—in a tough home loss to the Ryukyu Golden Kings in Wednesday’s East Asia Super League (EASL).
But as disappointing as the 89-71 defeat was with Akil Mitchell out and fellow import DJ Kennedy playing limited minutes because of back problems, the PBA club would rather look at the positive side with an elusive Final Four berth in Macau this March still within reach.
“We’ll be back,” coach Luigi Trillo said at Philsports Arena in Pasig City. “[Our loss] does not change where we are at now. We win against Taipei, we’re in.”
The Bolts dropped to fourth at 2-3 with a second straight loss and will close out their group stage campaign on Feb. 12 in Taiwan against the New Taipei Kings.
Like Meralco, New Taipei is also vying for the other semis berth in Group B and is currently holding a 3-2 record for second place. At third are the Macau Black Bears, who already wrapped up group play at 3-3.
‘Not out of it’
One edge Meralco has is the tiebreaker since it has the superior quotient over New Taipei and Macau in the event the Bolts win that mid-February matchup and create a three-way tie.
“Like coach Luigi said, we’re not out of it,” said Meralco star Chris Newsome. “And if anything, this is added motivation for us to go out to Taipei and get that game so we can enter the Final Four.”
But first, the Bolts have to address the situation surrounding Mitchell, who was a late scratch due to a back issue that Trillo said has been lingering since a previous stint in China. They’ll have a week to figure out his status before they face Barangay Ginebra and Magnolia to close out their Commissioner’s Cup eliminations on Jan. 29 and 31, respectively.
