Bolts overcome Painters despite losing import to injury

MANILA, Philippines -- The Meralco Bolts powered through the loss of import Akil Mitchell and blasted the All-Filipino Rain or Shine Elasto Painters, 121-111, in their PBA Commissioner’s Cup clash Sunday at the Ynares Center in Antipolo.

Mitchell played just 11 seconds before suffering a broken nose in the first play of the game. He drove to the basket and attempted a shot on Rain or Shine’s Keith Datu, but he was hit by an elbow on the way down.

Despite this, Meralco found plenty of firepower, with seven Bolts scoring in double digits.

Chris Newsome and Bong Quinto finished with 25 and 20 points, respectively, while Jansen Rios provided spark off the bench with 16 markers and five boards.

The Painters found themselves chasing after Meralco almost the whole game, but could not overtake them since taking the lead early on in the first quarter.

They fell behind by as much as 11 points, 66-77, in the third period, after a triple by Meralco’s Norbert Torres.

Rain or Shine, however, stormed back and cut the lead to four, 73-77, before back-to-back layups by Rios pushed the lead anew to double digits.

In the fourth, the Painters once again inched closer to just four, 101-105, after a trey by Jhonard Clarito with 4:36 left.

However, Torres powered through with a three-point play, followed by a pair of free throws by Cliff Hodge to push the lead back to nine, 110-101, with 3:40 remaining.

Rain or Shine tried to claw back, but free throws by Newsome, Quinto and Rios kept them at bay.

Torres added 13 points for Meralco, while Raymond Almazan dominated inside with 12 points and 16 rebounds.

Hodge and Anjo Caram produced 11 and 10 markers in that order.

Datu led Rain or Shine with 17 points. Adrian Nocum and Santi Santillan backstopped with 15 and 14 markers, respectively.

Jhonard Clarito, Caelan Tiongson and Andrei Caracut had 13, 12 and 11 points, respectively.

Meralco rose to 1-1 in the season, while Rain or Shine dropped its first game of the conference.

The Bolts will return to action on Friday against the Terrafirma Dyip, while the Elasto Painters face the still-undefeated Hong Kong Eastern on Wednesday.