Bolts pull down Aces

MANILA, Philippines — Meralco broke loose from a one-point halftime game with a torrid run in the third period en route to an 89-74 romp over Alaska Milk to force a tie at second with its victim in the PBA Commissioner’s Cup at the Smart Araneta Coliseum last night.

Arinze Onuaku, Chris Newsome, Ranidel de Ocampo, Jared Dillinger and Baser Amer teamed up in their third-quarter onslaught where they pummeled the Aces, 32-17, to seize control which they held on to the finish.

Onuaku made only 14 points but hauled down 23 rebounds while Dillinger, Newsome, Amer, De Ocampo and KG Canaleta all scored in double figures as the Bolts stretched their streak to four games while halting the Aces’ own run to seven.

Going to their penultimate games in the elims, the Bolts and the Aces are tied at second place with identical 7-2 win-loss slates, a game behind the pacesetting Rain or Shine Elasto Painters (8-1).

“It’s a critical game on our bid to gain a twice-to-beat advantage in the quarterfinals. We have control of our fate but we have to keep on winning. If we lose, we go down in the team standings as quickly,” said Meralco coach Norman Black.

The Bolts clamped down on defense and spread the production on offense as they stopped the Aces in their tracks.

In the nightcap, Barangay Ginebra also made a decisive run in the third period and went on to score a second straight win with a 104-84 drubbing of Magnolia.

“We really played a good game against NLEX the last time and it got us going in another must-win game tonight,” said Ginebra coach Tim Cone after the win that jacked up their record to 3-5 at ninth place.

Magnolia dropped to joint seventh with Columbian at 4-5.

The scores: 

First Game

Meralco 89 – Newsome 18, Dillinger 17, Amer 17, Onuaku 14, Canaleta 11, De Ocampo 10, Hugnatan 2, Hodge 0, Caram 0, Lanete 0. 

Alaska 74 – Campbell 25, Manuel 22, Banchero 13, Casio 5, Thoss 4, Pascual 3, Enciso 2, Racal 0, Exciminiano 0, Baclao 0. 

Quarterscores: 23-19, 41-40, 73-57, 89-74

Second Game

Ginebra 104 – Brownlee 35, Tenorio 22, Slaughter 12, Aguilar 11, Thompson 8, Ferrer 6, Devance 4, Mercado 4, Manuel 2, Caguioa 0, Cruz 0, Taha 0, Caperal 0, Aguilar R. 0.

Magnolia 84 – Jackson 21, Jalalon 17, Lee 16, Barroca 13, Brondial 6, Dela Rosa 4, Melton 3, Reavis 2, Pascual 2, Ramos 0, Herndon 0. 

Quarterscores: 25-17, 44-44, 79-65, 104-84