Coach Norman Black and the Meralco Bolts entered Game Five hopeful that they have overcome their slow start in the series. They had just clawed back from a 2-0 deficit and Baser Amer had just broke out of his slump last Friday.
However, the Barangay Ginebra San Miguel came out the hungrier team on Sunday night at the Philippine Arena. And as the 36,000-strong audience pushed the Gin Kings, the Bolts faltered.
“I thought Ginebra was well prepared to play tonight,” admitted Black after the 74-85 loss, “They came out very aggressively right from the start of the game. They started out Greg Slaughter so they are a lot bigger in their lineup tonight and I didn’t think that we reacted very well to it.
“Scottie [Thompson] and LA [Tenorio] were pressing us in the first quarter.”
With Sol Mercado out of the game due to an ankle injury he had sustained last Friday, Thompson and Tenorio needed to step up defensively. And the two were like pitbulls every time they were on the floor, hounding Baser Amer and Chris Newsome when they were on the floor, with the former continuing to struggle while the latter figuring into foul trouble.
“I wish we have gotten more from our starting backcourt today. Chris Newsome was in foul trouble right from the beginning of the game, which hurt us an awful lot because he’s been a key player for us this year,” furthered Black, “Baser has been struggling with LA. He’s been struggling the entire series.”
Newsome was limited to just 13 minutes in the contest before fouling out with 3:09 left in the game. Amer, on the other hand, performed another disappearing act. After finishing 11 points in Game Four, the sophomore floor general went just 1-for-5 from the field for just two points in 32 minutes of game time.
Stepping up for the two were Anjo Caram, who had seven points and four assists, and Garvo Lanete, who added 11 points.
With their backs against the wall, Black hopes that his team — especially his backcourt — will play with a sense of urgency on Wednesday to send the series into a winner-take-all affair.
“When we get contributions from the bench it definitely helps us a lot. So it really helps us for Anjo and Lanete to come off the bench to contribute and help us,” expressed Black, “I hope they can do it again on Wednesday but I hope we also can get better contributions from Baser and Chris Newsome.
“And I hope we can stay out of foul trouble.”
