Meralco is bound for the 2019 PBA Governors’ Cup Finals after zapping sister team TNT, 89-78, in Game Five of their semis clash Monday night at the Ynares Center in Antipolo City.
This Finals trip marks the Orangemen’s return to the Big Dance after missing out in the 2018 edition of the season-ending tilt as they got ousted by eventual runners-up Alaska Aces in the semis.
The Bolts will face a familiar foe in Barangay Ginebra San Miguel in the best-of-seven title bout that starts on January 8, 2020. It will be the two teams’ third Finals meeting in four years.
“I give credit to TNT and their coaching staff because the coaching staff from Meralco, as well as our players, really had to work hard to get back to the finals,” said coach Norman Black.
Two-time Best Import Allen Durham top-scored for Meralco with 28 points on top of 10 rebounds and eight assists.
Chris Newsome produced 23 points and eight rebounds while rookie forward Bong Quinto contributed 19 points, highlighted by a perfect 3-of-3 shooting from beyond the arc.
“I’d like to thank my players because we were down 2-1 and we had to win both games to get to the finals. Everybody focused in and stayed positive,” Black expressed.
Meralco actually stared at a 53-51 deficit with less than five minutes remaining in the third canto but Durham headed a furious rally to give the lead to his side, 66-61, entering the final frame.
The locals then did their part in the payoff period. Quinto scored six straight points to open the quarter, and that sparked a 14-3 run that gave the Bolts an 80-64 lead with 6:35 to go.
The Bolts never gave up their hold of the driver’s seat since and went on to coast to the victory.
“Our defense is what held up for us,” the decorated Black said. “TNT is a high-powered team, a high-scoring team but defensively we were able to slow them down to beat them tonight.”
KJ McDaniels had 30 points and 13 rebounds to lead the KaTropa, who were already one win away from the Finals when it gutted out a 101-97 win in Game Three only to blow that chance up.
Ray Parks finished with a double-double of 15 points and 10 rebounds, Jayson Castro made 11 points, while Troy Rosario and Roger Pogoy chimed in 10 markers apiece in the loss.
“Playing in a series, especially the last game, kung sino na yung bibigay diyan. Our defense is really not good,” lamented coach Bong Ravena. “We cannot make stops, we cannot make good shots.”
The Scores:
Meralco 89 — Durham 28, Newsome 23, Quinto 19, Maliksi 11, Hodge 3, Caram 3, Amer 2, Almazan 0, Pinto 0, Faundo 0, Jackson 0, Jamito 0, Jose 0, Salva 0.
TNT 78 — McDaniels 30, Parks 15, Castro 11, Rosario 10, Pogoy 10, Semerad 2, Reyes 0, Washington 0, De Leon 0, Vosotros 0.
Quarterscores: 22-23, 37-42, 66-61, 89-78.
