Meralco showed its grit and willed its way to a thrilling 126-123 double-overtime victory over the NorthPort Batang Pier to snap its three-game losing streak and get a much-needed boost in the 2019 Philippine Basketball Association at the Smart Araneta Coliseum yesterday.
Chris Newsome was spectacular all game for Meralco, scoring a team-high 28 points, 12 rebounds, seven assists and four steals in a complete game and a near triple-double while Baser Amer scored eight of his 23 markers in overtime to help the Bolts escape.
After barely surviving and sending the game to overtime twice, the Bolts took charge in the second extension, scoring the first eight points to finally close out in a highly-contested affair.
Ranidel De Ocampo’s basket started the second overtime period and then, Amer knocked down back-to-back triples to give Meralco a 121-113 advantage with 2:12 remaining.
With Stanley Pringle still fighting, NorthPort fought back through a 10-4 run to inch within just two, 123-125, after the fiery spitfire’s basket with 12.3 seconds remaining.
Nico Salva split his freebies to stretch Meralco’s lead to three, 126-123, with four seconds left.
The Batang Pier failed to even put up an attempt in the last second as Meralco forced a turnover, completing its tremendous grind.
Meralco improved to 3-5 to get itself back in the chase for a top eight spot while NorthPort dropped its fourth game in a row, sliding to 2-4 in the process.
The Bolts rallied in the final 30 seconds of the regulation period to send the game into overtime.
The Batang Pier were actually ahead 106-100 with just 30 seconds left but the Bolts fought tooth and nail to tie the score and send the game into overtime.
Chris Newsome drained the game-tying basket following a perfectly executed alley-oop play off Nard Pinto’s inbound pass with two seconds left in regulation to tie the game at 106-all.
In the first overtime, it was Salva who sank a hook shot with 34.8 seconds left to tie it again at 113.
Stanley Pringle led all scorers with a game-high 33 points for the Batang Pier.
Meanwhile, the action continues today with another pivotal double-header at the Ynares Center in Antipolo City.
Alaska (3-2) looks to solidify its spot at No. 3 when it goes head-to-head against ailing Magnolia (1-4) at 6:45 p.m. in a rematch of the 2018 Governors’ Cup Finals.
In the opener, streaking TNT KaTropa (4-3) goes for a third straight win when they do battle with Blackwater at 4:30 p.m.
