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| Top: Gary David's offensive explosion ended Merlaco's season with a big bang. Bottom: Sol Mercado and the Beermen gained a measure of vengeance against the Air 21 Express. |
Game notes:
- “El Granada” Gary David left another performance to remember, hitting 6 three-pointers on his way to a game-high 33 points to lead Meralco past GlobalPort, 123-95. David was 11/20 from the field overall on top of 4 assists, 3 rebounds, and 1 steal.
- Mario West, Reynel Hugnatan, and Cliff Hodge were all solid in the paint, scoring a combined 62 points and grabbing a total of 33 boards. West actually racked up a triple-double with 30 markers, 13 caroms, and 12 assists.
- Meralco’s final standing is 3-6, which puts them out of the final eight, while the Batang Pier end the conference at a lowly 1-8.
- The second game saw a heated encounter between San Miguel Beer and Air 21, with the former coming through and gaining a bit of revenge with a 101-88 victory. Reggie Williams uncorked 4 treys on his way to 27 points to lead SMB to its fifth win in nine starts.
- In a battle of two top-level centers, June Mar Fajardo slightly got the better of Asi Taulava. Fajardo finished with 20 points on 6/8 FG shooting along with 9 rebounds while Taulava tallied 18 markers and 10 boards.
- Sol Mercado played one of his best as a member of the Beermen here, dropping 16 points on top of 7 rebounds and 5 dimes.
Game recaps by Rey Joble/InterAKTV:
MERALCO over GLOBALPORT, 123-95
The Meralco Bolts finished their PLDT Home Telpad Governors’ Cup stint on a high note with a 123-95 victory over the GlobalPort Batang Pier on Saturday at Alonte Sports Arena.
With the victory, the Bolts finished with a 3-6 record and avoided last place. That ignominy went instead to the Batang Pier, who finished 1-8 for the second straight conference under coach Pido Jarencio to settle for No. 10.
“We just wanted to finish on a high note,” said Meralco coach Ryan Gregorio. “It’s been a frustrating season for us, but at least, last six games, were 3-3, but not enough for us to make it to the next level.”
Gary David broke out of his slump to finish with 33 points. Import Mario West finished with a triple-double for the Bolts, who lost their first four games of the tournament.
After also missing the playoffs in the Philippine Cup, the Bolts closed the books on their worst season in franchise history.
“We’re gonna take a rest and see what happens in the coming season,” said Gregorio.
Meanwhile, the growing pains continue for the Batang Pier franchise, which finished in last place for the fourth time in six conferences in franchise history.
MER 123 – David, 33, West 30, Hugnatan 19, Hodge 13, Dillinger 12, Cortez 6, Guevarra 6, Caram 2, Ballesteros 2, Wilson 0, Sena 0.
GLO 95 — Lowhorn 28, Washington 21, Cabagnot 10, Buenafe 6, Macapagal 6, Garcia 4, Ponferada 4, Acuna 4, Salvador 2, Romeo 2, Hayes 2, Lingganay 2, Yee 2, Menk 2.
QS: 34-15, 57-49, 93-77, 123-95.
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| El Granada attacks the defense of GlobalPort's Mark Macapagal. |
SAN MIGUEL BEER over AIR 21, 101-88
With their quarterfinals defeat last conference still fresh in their minds, the San Miguel Beermen fashioned out a 101-88 win over Air 21 Express in a heated affair on Saturday at Alonte Sports Arena.
The Beermen got a measure of revenge after getting upset by the Express in the Commissioner’s Cup.
The result allowed San Miguel Beer to climb into 5-4 in a tie with Air 21. The two teams will still await the result of the remaining games to determine their playoff seeds.
Bad blood between the two teams quickly became apparent, with players from both teams getting into confrontations several times. The Express seemed to lose their poise, getting called for four technical fouls in the first half including two that led to the ejection of returning forward Sean Anthony. That allowed the Beermen to dominate, opening its biggest lead of 16 points in the second period.
The action spilled into the early part of the second half, after Ronald Tubid was called for a flagrant foul on Air 21 import Dominique Sutton, who was called for a technical on the play.
The incident seemed to spark something in the Express, who went on a 12-2 run to tie the game on a three-pointer by Joseph Yeo.
But Air 21 could not get over the hump, with the Beermen seizing back control for a 73-68 advantage heading into the final period.
San Miguel Beer star June Mar Fajardo went to the bench with his fifth foul early in the fourth quarter. Chris Ross and Sol Mercado, playing together in the San Miguel Beer backcourt, took up the cudgels, turning that five-point lead into 15.
The Express couldn’t muster up enough for another run, allowing the Beermen to come away with the victory.
SMB 101 - Williams 27, Fajardo 20, Mercado 16, Ross 11, Santos 10, Kramer 9, Tubid 6, Chua 2, Lutz 0, Maierhofer 0, Lassiter 0.
AIR 88 - Sutton 26, Taulava 18, Yeo 12, Ramos 12, Cardona 6, Pligrates 6, J. Vllanueva 6, Borboran 2, Atkins 0, Anthony 0, R.Villanueva 0, Camson 0, Menor 0.
QS: 31-23 51-45 75-68 101-88
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| Sol Mercado's aggressiveness was on full display against the Express. |
Images by Nuki Sabio/PBA.
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