Meralco's Hodge gets Jeremy Lin's stamp of approval for defense during EASL clash

MANILA, Philippines -- Despite finishing with a game-high 23 points, former NBA guard Jeremy Lin tipped his hat to Meralco Bolt Cliff Hodge, whose physicality challenged the one-time NBA champion.

Lin led the way for the New Taipei Kings as they dispatched the Bolts, 89-77, Wednesday night at the Philsports Arena in Pasig City.

With ace defender Chris Newsome sitting out the East Asia Super League (EASL) matchup between the Bolts and the Kings, Hodge defended Lin several times in the game.

Hodge, numerous times, got in Lin's face and had some hard fouls.

Asked about his first time playing against a Filipino team, the former NBA journeyman acknowledged the Bolts' physicality.

"It is physical, very physical. Cliff Hodge is a great example," the guard told reporters after the game.

"He's playing the four-man position, he's 6-foot-4 but I can see why. He's very physical, he's smart, and he does his job really, really well," he added.

Hodge had a perfect shooting night for Meralco, finishing with eight points on 4-of-4 shooting.

He had two steals but had four fouls.

"[Hodge] makes everything difficult for you. So, he just plays hard, he just plays physical, and that's the best type of basketball you would wanna play," Lin added.

Against Hodge, Chris Banchero and the other Meralco defenders, Lin finished with 23 points, with 16 coming in the second half.

He shot 7-of-16 from the field, and had four assists and four turnovers.

Former Bay Area Dragon Hayden Blankley also acknowledged Meralco's physicality in the game.

"The players [are] very physical. That's one of the things, I think, Filipinos pride themselves in and the crowd is just into it the whole game," Blankley said.

He was one of the Dragons who played against the Barangay Ginebra in the 2022 PBA Commissioner's Cup, which the Gin Kings won in seven games.

"It is a fun atmosphere to play in."

Aside from Lin, four other Kings finished in double-digits.

Yang Chin-Min had 13 points, Kenny Manigault had 12 markers, and Jeremy's brother Joseph and Lee Kai-Yan had 11 apiece.

The Kings sit atop the EASL Group B with a 3-0 win-loss slate.