By James Ajero 

 

Meralco forced a do-or-die quarterfinal showdown in the PBA 50 Philippine Cup after recording an emphatic 96-79 win over Rain or Shine last Saturday. With the victory, the Bolts put themselves on the brink of a spot in the semifinals as they kept alive their bid for a second All-Filipino crown.

 

A victory later tonight at the Smart Araneta Coliseum would make the Elasto Painters the second team with a twice-to-beat edge to be eliminated by Meralco in the quarterfinals of the PBA Playoffs. 

 

 

One of Meralco’s most memorable feats came during the 2018 PBA Governors’ Cup quarterfinals against the Phoenix Fuel Masters. The Bolts overturned a twice-to-win disadvantage, a rare accomplishment at the time for a franchise still seeking its first PBA championship.

 

Phoenix entered the series as the favorites after finishing second in the elimination round with an 8-3 record. Meanwhile, Meralco was looking to build on its runner-up finish to Barangay Ginebra San Miguel in the 2017 Governors’ Cup.

 

In Game 1, the Norman Black-mentored Bolts erupted with a decisive 33-20 third-quarter surge to secure a 90-74 win and force a winner-take-all contest. Import Allen Durham led the charge with 26 points and 16 rebounds, while Chris Newsome added 16 points, 6 assists, 4 rebounds and two steals. Baser Amer chipped in 14 points, highlighted by two crucial three-pointers during the pivotal third-quarter run.

 

Game 2 tested Meralco’s composure after Phoenix built a 91-84 lead with three minutes left in regulation. The Bolts responded with a 10-0 run to seize the lead, only for Jason Perkins to knock down a game-tying triple with 7.4 seconds remaining to force overtime.

 

In the extra period, Meralco quickly took command, opening with eight unanswered points fueled by back-to-back triples from Amer to pull ahead, 102-94. From there, the Bolts never relinquished control, completing a stunning two-game sweep and nullifying Phoenix’s twice-to-beat advantage.

 

Durham anchored the effort with a dominant all-around performance, finishing with 31 points, 21 rebounds, 9 assists, and one block.

 

Can the Bolts replicate that feat and book a semifinal showdown against TNT Tropang 5G in this year’s Philippine Cup? We’ll soon find out.