Bolts force semis winner-take-all

Game Friday:

(FPJ Arena)

7:30 p.m. --- Meralco vs Ginebra

It goes down to one final match for the right to challenge defending champion San Miguel Beer for the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) Philippine Cup crown.

Meralco survived a back-and-forth battle to silence Barangay Ginebra San Miguel, 86-81, in Game 6 to even the best-of-seven semifinals series Wednesday night at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

Allein Maliksi took matters into his own hands midway into the fourth quarter stringing nine straight points to give the Bolts some breathing room before Meralco fended off the Gin Kings’ late fightback to stay in the hunt for a finals seat.   

“We had a good game plan again today. We’re more solid all-around. And against Ginebra it’s like that, that’s why you appreciate these kinds of games. Ginebra-Meralco is such a rivalry,” Meralco coach Luigi Trillo said.

“It’s not over. This is what we want, a Game 7.”    

Game 7 is set on Friday at the FPJ Arena in San Jose, Batangas.

The Beermen are already waiting for their opponent in the best-of-seven championship set to unwrap on 5 June.

Maliksi poured 12 of his 14 points in the final canto after a scoreless first half to save the Bolts.

Bong Quinto led all scorers with 23 points on 9-of-16 field goal shooting, Chris Newsome had 21 markers while Cliff Hodge got 10 points for Meralco.

Chris Banchero filled the stats sheet with nine markers, nine boards, eight assists and two blocks for the Bolts.

Protecting a five-point lead Maliksi ignited a personal 9-6 run to put Meralco up, 82-74, with 2:09 left.

Ginebra tried one final push to salvage the game with a couple of treys from Maverick Ahanmisi and Stanley Pringle closing in by four twice but Newsome’s steady hands kept the Gin Kings at bay with four charities.

Christian Standhardinger struggled from the Bolts’ defense in the first half, scoring only four points before finishing with 19 markers and eight rebounds for the Gin Kings.

Japeth Aguilar finished with 19 points and seven boards while Ahanmisi and Pringle got 13 and 12 markers, respectively, for Ginebra.      

Box scores:

MERALCO (86) – Quinto 23, Newsome 21, Maliksi 14, Hodge 10, Banchero 9, Almazan 7, Bates 2, Pascual 0, Caram 0, Jose 0

GINEBRA (81) – J.Aguilar 19, Standhardinger 19, Ahanmisi 13, Pringle 12, Thompson 9, Tenorio 3, Pinto 3, Cu 3, Murrell 0, Pessumal 0,

Quarters: 19-18, 38-37, 54-53, 86-81