Meralco Bolts’ Cliff Hodge.–PBA IMAGES
MANILA, Philippines–Meralco saved it collectively in probably the most essential of instances on Saturday night time to deal San Miguel its first defeat, 95-92, and seize a quarterfinal berth within the PBA Philippine Cup.
Defensive ace Cliff Hodge delivered 20 factors that went with 13 rebounds to energy the shorthanded Bolts previous the streaking defending champions within the contest at Batangas Metropolis Coliseum.
Meralco’s triumph, which gave the membership a three-game successful streak, denied its vaunted enemy an opportunity to stitch up the primary sweep of the elimination part in a decade.
READ: PBA: As sweep nears, San Miguel simply taking it one sport at a time
The final time a staff dominated the elimination spherical was throughout the 2014 Commissioner’s Cup, when a Norman Black-coached TNT aspect received every of its 9 video games going into the knockout stage.
Allein Maliksi completed with 19 factors off the bench, whereas Chris Newsome, Bong Quinto and Chris Banchero all had double-digit scores within the effort that would have critical implications for groups vying for a best-of-three quarterfinals berth.
The Bolts loved leads as massive as 17 factors and managed to maintain the Beermen at bay when pulled inside two behind a CJ Perez bucket, 93-91, with 2:33 remaining.
READ: PBA: Meralco shuts down Magnolia to stay in playoff race
San Miguel’s successful streak ended at 10 video games.
A logjam within the center is shaping up with Ginebra, NLEX, TNT and Magnolia all having yet one more sport left to play for his or her respective elimination spherical schedules.
With Perez clamped down to only eight factors, San Miguel turned to June Mar Fajardo who led the way in which with 23 factors and 19 rebounds.
Don Trollano and Jericho Cruz supplied the opposite double-digit contributions, scoring 14 factors every off the bench.
TNT, NLEX, Terrafirma and NorthPort are jockeying for the final three spots for the following spherical.
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