Allein Maliksi kick-started the Meralco engine that went on to run roughshod over Ginebra in the PBA Governors’ Cup Finals opener on Wednesday night.
The veteran gunner fired 15 of his 22 points in the first half, powering the Bolts’ second quarter surge that saw them change what was generally expected to be a tight affair into a lopsided show in their favor that ended in a 104-91 victory.
All in all, he shot 50-percent from the floor, including 5-of-7 from beyond the arc. He also collared eight rebounds in nearly 27 minutes of action.
Meralco head coach Norman Black offered that Maliksi was able to carry over the touch he regained in Game Five of the semifinals against Magnolia.
There, the 34-year-old product of University of Santo Tomas fired 24 points on a 69-percent clip in the 94-81 win. This, after scoring just a total of 30 points in the series’ first four games.
“It was a continuation from Game Five against Magnolia, where he shot the ball very, very well,” said the champion mentor after the game at the SMART Araneta Coliseum, which welcomed 12,457 fans in attendance.
For Maliksi, his performance was all thanks to the sense of involvement he’s been feeling with the Bolts whenever he’s on the floor.
Photo by PBA Images
“If you’re touching the ball, nafi-feel mo ‘yung game eh,” he said. “Pero ‘yung tipong ang tagal mo, na akyat-baba ka lang, waiting ka lang na makatanggap. And then ititira mo na bigla, mahirap, hindi mo nafi-feel yung bola.
“Hindi mo nafi-feel na part ka ng game,” he added. “Pero ngayon kasi, maganda yung ikot ng bola, maganda y’ung pasensiya namin.
“Yung pinaghirapan namin sa practice and during the offseason, ito nagpe-pay off na.”
Still, Maliksi refuses to get too caught up with their Game One win, preferring to be as focused as he can be on their primary goal.
“It’s just one game. We haven’t achieved anything yet,” he said.
“It’s just one quarter lang, kumbaga sa championship. We’re still not celebrating this win. Talagang yung goal namin is maka-champion this series.”
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