Bolts pummel Hotshots

MANILA, Philippines -- The Meralco Bolts doused the sluggish Magnolia Hotshots, 74-51, in a wire-to-wire PBA Philippine Cup affair Sunday at the Philsports Arena in Pasig City.

Chris Newsome and Raymond Almazan powered Meralco with 12 markers apiece. Chris Banchero chipped in 11.

It was a simply dominating win for the Bolts, who led by as much as 11 points, 21-10, in the first quarter.

Magnolia cut the lead to eight, 21-29, at the 6:51 mark of the second quarter with an and-one play by Aris Dionisio.

This was the last points by the Hotshots in the first half as they were kept to just seven points in the second frame.

The scoring drought continued, with the Bolts' suffocating defense and unlucky misses, through to the third quarter, as Dionisio finally sank a trey at the 10:57 mark of the next frame, 24-35.

This, however, did not spark the offensive firepower of Magnolia as Meralco breezed through to the final buzzer.

The lead grew to as much as 25 points, 74-49, with a triple by Diego Darrio.

A floater by Jackson Corpuz with little time remaining prevented Magnolia to score less than 50 points.

PBA chief statistician Fidel Mangonon III said that the 51 points scored by Magnolia is the fewest points allowed by the Bolts in their franchise history.

It is also their first time they allowed less than 60 points in a game.
The Hotshots also set a new franchise low for points in a game. The previous low was 53 points scored against the Sta. Lucia Realtors in 2005.

No Magnolia player finished in double figures, as the whole team shot just 18 of 71 from the field, good for 25%.

James Laput, Dionisio and Paul Lee all scored six markers.

Meralco rose to the middle of the quarterfinal race with a 5-5 win-loss record.

Magnolia dropped to 5-4 as it absorbed its second straight defeat.