BEFORE representing the country in an international meet in Dubai, the Meralco Bolts got things done in their final game in the PBA Philippine Cup elims.
With a strong closing salvo, the Bolts repulsed the Barangay Ginebra Kings, 82-73, to claim an outright playoffs entry Friday night at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
Cliff Hodge, Bong Quinto, Chris Banchero and Chris Newsome teamed up in an 11-2 windup in the last four minutes that gave the Bolts a closing 6-5 win-loss card and guaranteed them of a spot in the post-elims play.
Coach Luigi Trillo's troops joined the Magnolia Hotshots (7-1), the San Miguel Beermen (6-2), the NLEX Road Warriors (6-2) and the Converge FiberXers (6-4) to early quarters passage.
Left to dispute the three remaining berths in the Last Eight are Ginebra (5-3), TNT Tropang 5G (5-3), Rain or Shine (5-3) and Phoenix Super LPG (2-6).
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Out of it all are Blackwater (1-7), NorthPort (1-7) and Terrafirma (1-8).
In sealing their quarters entry in the all-Filipino tourney at home, the Bolts can now shift focus on their preparation for their stint in the Basketball Champions League Asia from June 9-15 in Dubai.
Trillo rotated 10 players who all hit the scoring column in their nine-point disposal of the Gin Kings.
Newsome fired 15, Banchero rifled in 14, Hodge tossed in 11 while Quinto and CJ Cansino drilled in 10 each in the well-fought battle where neither side led by a double-digit margin.
The two sides fought to a 17-all tie in the first quarter then to a 37-all deadlock in the first half before the Bolts took command in the third.
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Falling behind by eight, the Gin Kings chipped away and forged a tie at 71 entering the final four minutes of the contest.
But then the Gins Kings hit the wall from there, going 0-of-9 from the field and allowing the Bolts to salvage the game.
The Bolts made it three in a row while stopping the Kings' romp marked by victories over Converge, Phoenix Super LPG and Blackwater.
Coach Tim Cone's wards take just a one-day rest and return to action, battling the Magnolia Hotshots in a Manila Clasico tiff Sunday also at the Big Dome.
Their last two assignments are TNT and Rain or Shine.
The scores:
Meralco 82 - Newsome 15, Banchero 14, Hodge 11, Cansino 10, Quinto 10, Rios 5, Black 5, Bates 4, Almazan 4, Jose 4.
Barangay Ginebra 73 - Thompson 16, Malonzo 16, Rosario 14, J. Aguilar 12, Abarrientos 12, Holt 3, Cu 0, Gray 0, David 0.
Quarterscores: 17-17, 37-37, 61-56, 82-73
