Bolts shock Gin Kings
MANILA–Ryan Gregorio had talked about being competitive right on Day 1, and his Meralco Bolts made sure that it would happen.
And Mac Cardona, the man Gregorio said will be his go-to-guy, was what the Meralco coach wanted him to be.
Cardona knocked down the marginal basket with 32.9 seconds left before the Bolts played tough enough defense to hold off crowd-darling Barangay Ginebra, 73-72, at the start of the PBA Philippine Cup last night at the Araneta Coliseum in Cubao.
“You just have to appreciate his strengths,” Gregorio said of Cardona, who failed to actually make it a superlative debut by missing two crucial free throws later that would have put the game away for the Bolts.
It was up to the Meralco defense to make that happen, as the Bolts frustrated the Gin Kings in their next three possessions, the last forcing Willie Miller into mishandling an inbound pass from Ronald Tubid in the final 2.4 seconds to seal the win.
“I pretty much challenged them to make the necessary stops in the end,” Gregorio continued. “Even if we missed crucial free throws, we were able to bail ourselves out of trouble because of defense.”
Ginebra led by 10 after the first three periods, but the Bolts quickly got back in the game by playing hard-nosed defense as Asi Taulava proved to be a menacing presence underneath.
Taulava finished with eight rebounds and three blocks on top of seven points.
Cardona only scored 12 points for the Bolts, two behind the team high of 14 by Nelbert Omolon, who hit a free throw off Rudy Hatfield with 2:24 left that shoved Meralco ahead, 71-70.
Ginebra grabbed the lead for the last time at 72-71 after Miller, returning to the game just when Omolon was taking those free throws, nailed a long two-pointer with 2:03 remaining.
Defending champion Derby Ace, Gregorio’s former team, debuts against powerhouse Talk ‘N Text on Wednesday with the Llamados seeking to become the first repeat champion since 1985 when defunct Great Taste, then with Fil-Am great Ricardo Brown, pulled off the feat.
George Gallent, the champion PBL coach with Harbour Centre, will get his baptism of PBA fire in the 7:30 p.m. contest even as Rain or Shine and Powerade also get going earlier in the 5 p.m. opener.
Kerby Raymundo will continue to sit it out after undergoing arthroscopic knee surgery in the United States recently, but Gallent will still have reigning MVP James Yap and a deep cast talented players willing to play their roles.
That game will also mark the first time in so many years that Mac Cardona will not be in the Talk ‘N Text roster as the Tropang Texters will start looking for a new heavy scorer. Photo by Mark Giongco
The Scores:
And Mac Cardona, the man Gregorio said will be his go-to-guy, was what the Meralco coach wanted him to be.
Cardona knocked down the marginal basket with 32.9 seconds left before the Bolts played tough enough defense to hold off crowd-darling Barangay Ginebra, 73-72, at the start of the PBA Philippine Cup last night at the Araneta Coliseum in Cubao.
“You just have to appreciate his strengths,” Gregorio said of Cardona, who failed to actually make it a superlative debut by missing two crucial free throws later that would have put the game away for the Bolts.
It was up to the Meralco defense to make that happen, as the Bolts frustrated the Gin Kings in their next three possessions, the last forcing Willie Miller into mishandling an inbound pass from Ronald Tubid in the final 2.4 seconds to seal the win.
“I pretty much challenged them to make the necessary stops in the end,” Gregorio continued. “Even if we missed crucial free throws, we were able to bail ourselves out of trouble because of defense.”
Ginebra led by 10 after the first three periods, but the Bolts quickly got back in the game by playing hard-nosed defense as Asi Taulava proved to be a menacing presence underneath.
Taulava finished with eight rebounds and three blocks on top of seven points.
Cardona only scored 12 points for the Bolts, two behind the team high of 14 by Nelbert Omolon, who hit a free throw off Rudy Hatfield with 2:24 left that shoved Meralco ahead, 71-70.
Ginebra grabbed the lead for the last time at 72-71 after Miller, returning to the game just when Omolon was taking those free throws, nailed a long two-pointer with 2:03 remaining.
Defending champion Derby Ace, Gregorio’s former team, debuts against powerhouse Talk ‘N Text on Wednesday with the Llamados seeking to become the first repeat champion since 1985 when defunct Great Taste, then with Fil-Am great Ricardo Brown, pulled off the feat.
George Gallent, the champion PBL coach with Harbour Centre, will get his baptism of PBA fire in the 7:30 p.m. contest even as Rain or Shine and Powerade also get going earlier in the 5 p.m. opener.
Kerby Raymundo will continue to sit it out after undergoing arthroscopic knee surgery in the United States recently, but Gallent will still have reigning MVP James Yap and a deep cast talented players willing to play their roles.
That game will also mark the first time in so many years that Mac Cardona will not be in the Talk ‘N Text roster as the Tropang Texters will start looking for a new heavy scorer. Photo by Mark Giongco
The Scores:
MERALCO 73 – Omolon 14, Cardona 12, Escobal 7, Aljamal 7, Taulava 7, Weinstein 6, Espinas 6, Aquino 6, Ross 4, Belga 4, Daa 0.
BARANGAY GINEBRA 72 – Intal 11, Tubid 11, Miller 10, Caguioa 10, Hatfield 10, Cortez 8, Helterbrand 4, Mamaril 4, Menk 2, De Ocampo 2, Villanueva 0.
Quarters: 22-18, 35-34, 56-56, 73-72.
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