Connect with us

Hi, what are you looking for?

Tiebreaker Times

Basketball

Bolts pummel Aces to force win-or-go-home Game 5


The Meralco Bolts banked on a hot hands of Jared Dillinger and a huge second half burst to drub the Alaska Aces, 86-70, in Game Four of their PBA Commissioner’s Cup semi-finals Monday night at the Smart-Araneta Coliseum.

Dillinger notched a team-high 17 points including 4-for-10 from three-point area as the Bolts outscored the Aces in the final two quarters, 50-36 to stay alive for a finals spot. Game 5 will be played on Wednesday.

“This game was basically about trying to live to fight another day. I just wanted to see what will happen in Game 5. We got back to the basics as far as defense is concerned,” Meralco head coach Norman Black said.

“We went back to the basics of the defense and it held up for us.”

Dillinger scored nine of his total points in the third period, where the Bolts outscored the Aces 26-18. The wing man capped an 8-0 run to end the third quarter with a 70-foot heave which beat the buzzer and gave the Bolts a 62-52 lead entering the final period.

“My local players stepped up. JD hit some big shots tonight which helped us down the stretch. It was a total team effort but it was really about living to fight another day. Now we (try) to win Game Five,” Black said.

“We will give everything we have in Game Five and we will see what happens.”

The onslaught continued for the Bolts in the payoff period as they went on a 15-4 stretch to take a 77-56 cushion, the game’s biggest advantage for either team.

#ReadMore  GlobalPort ends Governor's Cup campaign with bittersweet win

The Aces were able to cut the deficit down to 79-66 after going on a full-court trap, but a Jimmy Alapag triple with just over two minutes remaining proved to be the dagger.

Arinze Onuaku chipped in 16 points on 7-for-11 shooting, 16 rebounds, four assists, and five blocks while Cliff Hodge also had a double-double with 14 points and 12 boards.

“Arinze (Onuaku) had more energy tonight. He was defintely a force inside the paint as far as defense is concerned and in addition to that, he helped us with the rebounding,” Black added.

The Bolts, which lost by 20 to the Aces in Game 3, 92-72, limited the Aces to just 33 percent shooting. The Bolts also had a 50-39 edge in rebounding, and had eight more assists than the Aces, 19-11.

Import Rob Dozier led the Aces with 18 points on 7-for-12 shooting, adding 15 rebounds. Calvin Abueva and RJ Jazul, however, were the only other Aces in double-digits. The two scored 10 points each but shot 5-for-20 from the field combined.

The Scores:

Meralco (86) – Dillinger 17, Onuaku 16, Hodge 14, Faundo 12, Caram 8, Newsome 7, Alapag 6, Hugnatan 6. Bono 0, Buenafe Ry. 0, Amer 0.

Alaska (70) – Dozier 18, Abueva 10, Jazul 10, Hontiveros 8, Baclao 6, Thoss 6, Banchero 5, Exciminiano 3, Baguio 2, Dela Rosa 2, Dela Cruz 0, Eman 0.

Quarterscores: 19-16, 36-34, 62-52, 86-70.

Videos from Sports5

Written By


You May Also Like

Basketball

BACOLOD -Team Japeth and Team Mark ended up in a stalemate, 140-140, in a thrilling conclusion to the PBA All-Star Bacolod 2024 witnessed by...

Basketball

ANTIPOLO – Adrian Nocum continued to display maturity beyond his years as he powered Rain or Shine past Phoenix, 100-85, to finally break through...

Basketball

Magnolia began its PBA Season 48 Philippine Cup campaign with a dominant 106-75 conquest of Converge, Saturday night at the Rizal Memorial Coliseum. The...

Basketball

Meralco turned what was thought to be a dogfight to a lopsided mauling as it whipped Ginebra, 91-73, to arrest its two-game slide in...

Basketball

Northport made sure to get the job done before its long break, hacking out a 90-85 victory over Meralco to extend its streak to...

Basketball

Northport exhibited poise beyond its youth, securing a 124-120 victory against Phoenix in the PBA Season 48 Philippine Cup on Friday at the SMART...

Basketball

Robert Bolick saved NLEX through clutch free throws once again to escape Meralco, 99-96, for its second win in the PBA Season 48 Philippine...

News

Bong Quinto came through in overtime as Meralco survived the hard-fighting Rain or Shine, 121-117, to barge into the win column of the PBA...

Advertisement