Meralco Bolts made big baskets down the stretch to stave off the Blackwater Elite, 104-96, in their 2017 PBA Governors’ Cup do-or-die quarterfinals match, at the Smart-Araneta Coliseum Thursday night.
Young guards Baser Amer and Garvo Lanete conspired to keep Meralco afloat early in the payoff period, before Allen Durham and Jared Dillinger took over in the final six minutes, hitting clutch shot after another to take out the Elite and set up semifinal date with the Star Hotshots.
Baser Amer erupted for 31 points, while the reigning Best Import, despite hurting his ankle in the fourth quarter, still managed to put up a near triple-double of 18 points, 20 boards and nine assists.
Knocking down five three-pointers apiece, Garvo Lanete and Jared Dillinger finished with 17 and 15 markers, respectively, while Ranidel De Ocampo, who had his moments in the third canto to chip in 14 points and eight rebounds.
The lower-seeded Blackwater squad, behind the hot hands of Henry Walker, took a 52-40 edge at the half, and looked like it can pull off another upset after sustaining the lead, 63-51, 8:23 left in the third period.
But a huge run late in the third kept the Bolts within striking distance, 77-73, heading into the final frame.
Meralco broke the last deadlock at 84-all with an 11-4 rally highlighted by triples from Dillinger and Amer, giving them a 95-88 separation, 6:38 remaining.
Durham then, exchanged baskets with Mike Digregorio, before another trey from Jared Dillinger finally took the fight out of the Blackwater Elite as he made it a 10-point distance, 104-94, with only 86 seconds left.
Henry Walker played his last game with Elite this conference, posting game-high 34 points, 16 boards, and four dimes in 48 minutes. JP Erram added 18 points and nine boards, while Digregorio and Maliksi added 11 and 10 markers, respectively.
The scores:
MERALCO 104 – Amer 31, Durham 18, Lanete 17, Dillinger 15, De Ocampo 14, Newsome 7, Hodge 2, Caram 0, Hugnatan 0, Nabong 0, Tolomia 0.
BLACKWATER 96 – Walker 34, Erram 18, Digregorio 11, Maliksi 10, Canaleta 6, Marcelo 6, Belo 5, Sumang 4, Pinto 2.
Quarter scores: 22-22, 40-52, 73-77, 104-96.