Meralco Bolts shock Magnolia Hotshots in thrilling 86-84 comeback victory
4 min readThe Meralco Bolts put up a great fight against the Magnolia Hotshots, coming back from a 12-point deficit in the fourth quarter to snatch a thrilling 86-84 victory at the Smart Araneta Coliseum on Sunday.
The Bolts, who now have a 5-3 record, were able to hold the Hotshots scoreless in the last 1:25 of play and relied on clutch free throws from Chris Newsome and KJ McDaniels to secure the win.
It was a nail-biting finish as both teams went head-to-head in a well-fought battle.
The game was a grind-out affair, with the lead changing hands several times throughout the match. However, it was the Bolts who made the stops that mattered in the end, thanks to the impressive play of their starting five.
Despite erasing a 12-point deficit, the Hotshots were not able to maintain their lead in the final quarter. Meralco opened the fourth canto with a 14-6 run to tie the game at 77-all and set the stage for a thrilling finish. The Bolts leaned on McDaniels’ clutch free throws in the last 31.2 seconds of the game to seal the win.
Meralco coach Norman Black praised his team for their impressive performance, saying, “As expected, it was a grind-out game. We made the stops that made the difference in the end.” The win keeps the Bolts in strong contention for the Top 4 and a twice-to-beat incentive in the quarterfinals.
The Hotshots, on the other hand, dropped to seventh place with a 4-4 record. Coach Chito Victolero’s troops had looked headed for a fifth straight win after taking the lead in the third quarter, but their efforts were not enough to secure the win.
McDaniels and Newsome led the charge for the Bolts, finishing with 19 and 16 points respectively.
McDaniels also added 15 rebounds to his impressive stat line.
The rest of the Meralco starting five also put up solid numbers, with Cliff Hodge hauling down 12 rebounds and adding eight points, Aaron Black firing away 13 points with six rebounds and four assists, and Bong Quinto contributing 12 markers, including two triples.
Antonio Hester led all scorers with 23 points and 15 rebounds for the Hotshots, while Paul Lee logged an 18-7-5 output.
Jio Jalalon contributed 11 points, five rebounds, and three assists, while Calvin Abueva added 10 points, nine boards, and five assists. Mark Barroca chipped in 11 points and three rebounds.
Both teams battled it out with short rotations, showcasing their depth and versatility on the court.
The game was a testament to the competitive spirit of both squads and a thrilling spectacle for PBA fans everywhere.
The boxscores:
MERALCO 86 – McDaniels 19, Newsome 16, Black 13, Quinto 12, Hodge 8, Maliksi 7, Caram 5, Banchero 4, Almazan 2, Jose 0
MAGNOLIA 84 – Hester 23, Lee 18, Jalalon 11, Barroca 11, Abueva 10, Dela Rosa 5, Escoto 4, Reavis 2, Corpuz 0, Ahanmisi 0, Dionisio 0
