Shorthanded Bolts escape Fuel Masters to halt slump

MANILA, Philippines – An undermanned Meralco squad leaned on Garvo Lanete to survive Phoenix, 92-90, in the in PBA's Philippine Cup action at the Smart Araneta Coliseum on Wednesday night.

Also struggling himself, Lanete scattered 24 points to go with Cliff Hodge's 17.

"That was really a hard-fought game. I’m just happy with my guys staying in the game and fighting until the end," head coach Norman Black said. "We really had to dig deep."

"It takes a lot of will power for the players to say no, we will win this game and that's what the players did today. We treated this game as if it was a championship game," he added.

And the Bolts indeed heed their mentor's call, drawing nine points each from Anjo Caram, KG Canaleta and Chris Newsome, who tried to lessen the sting of the void left by injured teammates Ranidel de Ocampo and Jared Dillinger.

Lanete came was just a couple of points shy from tying his career-best 27 points which he posted also against Phoenix. He came into the game averaging just 7.78 points per outing.

The victory helps the Bolts arrest a three-game losing skid, improving their card in the all-Filipino conference to 3-6.

Phoenix had a chance to further protect their place in the Top 8 of the standings and pull the rug on their foes via a trey by Jeff Chan, but the play was impeccably disrupted by Newsome.

The Fuel Masters are now 4-5 in the conference.

The Scores:

MERALCO 92 — Lanete 24, Hodge 17, Canaleta 9, Caram 9, Newsome 9, Tolomia 9, Hugnatan 6, Amer 5, Salva 4, Ballesteros 0, Baracael 0.

PHOENIX 90 — Wilson 24, Wright 16, Jazul 13, Perkins 10, Chan 8, Mendoza 6, Dehesa 5, Intal 4, Kramer 4, Alolino 0, Chua 0, Eriobu 0.

Quarters: 29-18, 54-40, 70-75, 92-90.