Meralco shrugged off a sluggish start and repulsed Rain or Shine, 89-73, for a third straight win in the PBA Governors Cup at the Ynares Sports Center in Antipolo Saturday.
The Bolts, runners-up to the Barangay Ginebra Kings in this season-ending tourney last year, made a decisive run from a 58-all count and nailed a third victory after earlier wins over the Blackwater Elite and the Gin Kings.
Allen Durham, Jared Dillinger, Reynel Hugnatan and Chris Newsome took charge for the Bolts as they handed the E-Painters a second loss in three starts and thus ruined James Yap’s night when he joined the league’s elite 10,000-point club.
Yap, a two-time MVP winner, became the 15th member of the group after Atoy Co, Francis Arnaiz, Mon Fernandez, Abet Guidaben, Philip Cezar, Bogs Adornado, Robert Jaworski, Allan Caidic, Alvin Patrimonio, Benjie Paras, Jojo Lastimosa, Nelson Asaytono and Jerry Codinera.
Meralco coach Norman Black also hit the mark as a legendary import.
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In nailing a three-pointer on an assist by Chris Tolomia late in the third, Yap became the first of his generation to reach the milestone. He’s the first since Codinera in 2001.
The Bolts, however, had their own goal in this Petron Blaze Saturday Special.
They unleashed a crucial 15-3 run from the 58-all count, seizing control and holding sway to the end to catch up with the NLEX Road Warriors at 3-0.
Durham again flirted with a triple-double feat with 23 points, 23 rebounds and eight assists.
Dillinger fired four treys and finished with 16 markers, Hugnatan contributed 14 markers in a 14-minute relief job while Newsome came up with 11 points, seven rebounds and five assists in a sterling all-around effort.
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James Weatherspoon delivered 19 markers and 13 rebounds for the E-Painters whose only other double-digit scorers were Maverick Ahanmisi (11) and Beau Belga (10).
Yap finished with seven markers, four rebounds and one steal. (SB)
