Eliminate Batang Pier, Bolts surge back

Game today (Lucena City)
6:30 p.m. – Petron vs Barako Bull

Games tomorrow (Smart Araneta Coliseum)

4:15 p.m. – Air21 vs Talk n Text

6:30 p.m. – Ginebra vs Rain or Shine

MANILA, Philippines - Meralco atoned for its heartbreaking setback to Rain or Shine Wednesday with a 101-92 victory over Globalport last night as the Bolts regained solo fourth place in the PBA Philippine Cup at the Smart Araneta Coliseum last night.

The Bolts redeemed themselves from their 98-102 loss in overtime to the Elasto Painters after blowing a 26-point lead as they bounced back with the key win over the Batang Pier, virtually eliminating the Mikee Romero-owned team in the playoff race.

“It’s a very gratifying win after an emotional loss to Rain or Shine. For tonight’s game, I really had to ask help from my assistant coaches. Thank God, I have a solid crew of assistants who were with me all the way,” said Meralco coach Ryan Gregorio.   

“Of course, if you lose a game the way we did against RoS, you won’t have enough sleep. The loss hit me like a haymaker and I told my assistants to be more active tonight,” Gregorio added.

Deputies Jong Uichico and Ronnie Magsanoc sat close beside Gregorio on the bench and the Meralco main men stepped up on the floor as the Bolts notched a sixth win against five losses.

Globalport took its 10th loss against a lone win, at the expense of Meralco in their first meeting, and virtually bowed out of the playoffs race.

Meanwhile, Petron and Barako Bull try to improve their spots in the middle of the chart as they slug it out in the Lucena stop of the Phoenix Fuel on Tour at the Quezon Convention Center at 6:30 p.m. tonight.

“I think we’re not complacent tonight,” said Gregorio, obviously in reaction to coach Yeng Guiao’s dig after their game Wednesday.

“Coach Ryan (Gregorio) has said they were just complacent when they lost to us by 25. They might have become complacent again in this game,” said Guiao then.

Gregorio, however, said he has so much respect to the veteran RoS mentor “that I don’t want to be dragged to a word war.”

“I will never win. Might as well end it right now,” Gregorio said.

San Mig Coffee also rebounded strongly from an awful setback, repulsing Air21, 89-80, to tie Rain or Shine (8-3) at second later in the night.

“Good bounce back obviously,” said coach Tim Cone as they sprang back from a 92-63 blowout by Talk n Text Wednesday.

Mark Cardona poured in 26 points, Sol Mercado tossed in 24 and rookie Kelly Nabong produced 18 points and 11 rebounds as the Bolts overcame the Batang Pier’s tough challenge.

The Batang Pier engaged the Bolts in a battle on explosive games by Gary David (33 points) and Rey Guevarra (20).

The count was tied at 83 with 4:13 to go when Mercado, Nabong and Ronjay Buenafe teamed up in a decisive 10-to-nothing run to win the game for Meralco.