MANILA, Philippines - Reserve guard Chico Lanete kept Meralco afloat with a brilliant game in the first 40 minutes then Asi Taulava took over at the finish as the Bolts repulsed the B-Meg Llamados, 84-78, for a second straight win in the PBA Philippine Cup at The Arena in San Juan last night.
Lanete sizzled with 24 points, nine assists and three steals before Taulava stepped in, knocking in clutch baskets to personally fend off the Llamados’ endgame chase.
Meralco caught up with Rain or Shine at third place with its second win after a losing debut versus Talk n Text. B-Meg, meanwhile, slid to joint seventh with Barangay Ginebra as it absorbed a second loss in three starts.
Lanete stepped up their game early on, drilling in two triples and a charity as Meralco opened a 12-point spread at 75-63 with 8:41 left to play.
Earlier, Laneta and Mark Isip fired 12 points each and Mark Borboran added eight as the Bolts took the half at 45-41.
Both teams shot in the high 50s (field goal percentage) in the first half capped by Lanete with a booming three-pointer.
“I just did my job. We all know that we have to step up while playing without Mac Cardona, Sol Mercado and Chris Ross,” said Lanete.
Meanwhile, Governors Cup titlist Petron Blaze, off to a hot start in the new season with stirring wins over B-Meg and Barako Bull, is fancied to nail a third straight win against struggling newcomer Shopinas.com at the resumption of play tonight at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
The Boosters and the Clickers clash at 4:15 p.m. in a game featuring as side battle the coaching duel of former San Miguel Beer teammates Ato Agustin and Franz Pumaren.
Powerade and Alaska mix it up in the other game at 6:30 p.m.
Agustin and Pumaren were together in numerous title runs of the Beermen from the late 80s to the 90s. Both have since become champion coaches with Agustin winning titles in the NCAA, the PBL and the PBA and Pumaren having a streak of championships with La Salle in the UAAP.
The comparison ends there though as Agustin has a powerhouse lineup at his disposal at Petron while Pumaren is still in the process of organizing a team from a cast of journeymen, discards and unproven rookies.
The Boosters are, without a doubt, heavily favored versus the Clickers who haven’t clicked, losing their first two games against the Powerade Tigers and the Meralco Bolts.
The Clickers bowed to the Bolts who were then even without injured top guns Macmac Cardona and Sol Mercado.
Pumaren, however, stressed they’re not losing hope, believing they will improve and will soon start winning.
Agustin, meanwhile, said they would not take Shopinas lightly, explaining they have their own handicaps minus Jay Washington and Rabeh Al-Hussaini.
The Petron mentor added his troops will be ready to handle the Clickers’ full-court press.
With young players, Pumaren is using that ploy to compensate for their lack in offensive firepower.
The Boosters, however, can well cope, having dependable press breakers in Alex Cabagnot and Denok Miranda.
Petron also has topnotch two-guards in Dondon Hontiveros, Chris Lutz and Joseph Yeo plus a frontline made more formidable by the addition of Rob Reyes.
Seen as anybody’s game is the Tigers-Aces collision.
The Tigers go for a second win in three starts while the Aces hope to finally nail a first win in their post-Tim Cone era.
“We are still far from our potential as a team. I believe that with much experience working together, we can definitely be more efficient,” said Powerade coach Bo Perasol.
“What keeps us excited is the fact that we are doing better now than maybe a year ago,” Perasol added.
Alaska coach Joel Banal is not getting impatient, believing they will get their act together and start winning soon.
He said he won’t be surprised to get his first win as Alaska bench chieftain versus the Tigers.