 |
| Allen Durham led the Bolts to the win, but he got more help this time. PBA Media Group |
By Ivan Saldajeno
LUCENA--Meralco unleashed its might in the last minutes of the first quarter before holding off Ginebra in the end for a 104-102 win in Game 2 of the PBA Governors' Cup Finals at the Quezon Convention Center here on Friday night.
The Bolts quickly repulsed the Barangay's early barrage and pulled away late in the first but still needed to keep them at bay in the end to force the 1-1 deadlock in their best-of-seven series.
After Ginebra surged ahead at the start with a 13-6 lead, Meralco answered with a 30-6 run later in the first period to open a 36-19 cushion.
The Barangay slowly crawled back to the game and cut the lead down to eight, 46-38, with 4:52 remaining in the first half.
The Bolts, however, bounced back and stretched their lead to its highest at 19 points, 61-42, later in the second quarter.
Ginebra surged again in the third quarter and forced a 70-all deadlock with 2:31 to play in the said quarter.
But Meralco regained control of the game at the end of the period and entered the final frame ahead, 82-76.
The team then repulsed any run from Ginebra in the final frame especially when Baser Amer drained two huge triples that eventually the win.
The Barangay still tried to crawl back and cut the lead down to two with 3.1 seconds remaining, but Nico Salva got away from anyone who wanted to foul him to stop the clock and completely milked the time left in the game.
Allen Durham made 21 points, 18 rebounds, six assists, one steal, and one block to lead Meralco, which now has the momentum entering Game 3 as the series shifts back to the Smart Araneta Coliseum in Quezon City on Sunday night. Amer and Chris Newsome each added 17 points.
Justin Brownlee erupted for 35 points, 11 rebounds, one steal, and one block, while Stanley Pringle chipped in 23 markers, 10 boards, and four dimes for Ginebra.
Follow him on Twitter: @IvanSaldajeno
.jpg)
