Bolts stay alive on mind-boggling endgame siege

TWO-games-to-three down in the series and falling behind by 10 in the last four minutes, the Meralco Bolts refused to go away, refused to fold up and refused to be beaten.

Aaron Black came through with a mind-boggling 11-point explosion in the last 1:39 of play, highlighting Meralco's endgame siege leading to a steal 96-92 triumph over a badly stunned San Miguel Beer side at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

It was a Sunday shocker that forged 3-3 logjam in this side of the race-to-four-games semis series.

The Bolts and the Beermen clash in a no-tomorrow face-off Wednesday.

It had appeared to be a series for the Beermen after they repelled an initial Meralco rally, reestablishing a double-digit spread at 90-80 with a little over four minutes left to play.

But just when everybody thought they heard the last of Meralco, Chris Newsome scored on a layup, Cliff Hodge delivered a three-point play then Black pumped in a trey, and the Bolts were back in the fight at 88-90 with still 1:39 to go.

Black himself got Meralco ahead at 93-90 on two charities and a three-point play.

And after a slip-up yielding two charities to CJ Perez, Black once again rose to the occasion, completing the Meralco escape that kept the Bolts in the hunt for a first finals stint in the all-Filipino tourney.

Black finished with 17 points as did Hodge on top of 12 rebounds while Newsome wound up with 19 plus seven boards and three assists and Raymond Almazan added 11 markers, seven boards and two dish-offs.

Bong Quinto was part of the Meralco endgame crew, with the 6-foot-1 two-guard having his own clutch plays, including a deflection of an SMB fastbreak play in the closing seconds.

This former Letran hotshots also electrified the crowd as he posterized SMB giant June Fajardo with a gutsy jam midway through the fourth.

Fajardo threatened to pulverize the whole Meralco team in response.

He piled up a double-double with 23 points and 13 rebounds that went in vain on their endgame foldup.

Vic Manuel (16), Marcio Lassiter (14) and Perez (13) were the others who put up twin-digit outputs for the Beermen.

Looking to close out the series for a first Philippine Cup finals since their last all-Filipino title run in 2019, the Beermen came out strong and posted a biggest lead of 16 before taking the half at 56-45.

Lassiter was 4-of-4 from the field (2-of-2 from the arc) in leading their charge in the first half.(SB)

The Scores:

Meralco 96 - Newsome 19, Black 17, Hodge 17, Banchero 13, Almazan 11, Maliksi 7, Pascual 6, Quinto 6, Hugnatan 0, Pasaol 0, Jose 0.

San Miguel 92 - Fajardo 23, Manuel 16, Lassiter 14, Perez 13, Tautuaa 8, Cruz 8, Enciso 8, Brondial 2, Ross 0, Herndon 0.

Quarters: 33-22, 56-45, 74-71, 96-92