Chris Newsome helped Meralco outgun Ginebra in the second half, 59-33, and the Bolts came home with back-to-back wins in the PBA Season 50 Philippine Cup.
Meralco played only one good half Friday night, Oct. 17.
Fortunately for the Bolts, that was all they needed to pull off a come-from-behind 89-75 win over Ginebra in the PBA Season 50 Philippine Cup.
At the center of the late uprising in the last 24 minutes was Chris Newsome, who finished with 19 points, eight rebounds, four assists and one steal.
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Down 12 at halftime, the Bolts were all hands on deck to turn the tide, according to Newsome.
“For us, it was just about playing as team. It was not about one person; it’s about showing that we can get it done as a team being down 12 at the half,” Newsome said after the match at the Smart Araneta Coliseum in Cubao.
“It’s a tough hill to climb, but we stuck together. We kept on encouraging one another, and we got the win today.”
Newsome does it again for the Bolts
Meralco came out of the break with more energy and better defense, gradually trimming the gap before finally gaining the lead on Newsome’s three-pointer, 67-66, with over seven minutes left to play.
Chris Newsome is the Player of the Game for the second consecutive time. | Photo: PBA
Finally getting their bearings going, the Bolts went on a 16-3 rampage to build an 83-69 buffer they never relinquished.
RJ Abarrientos tried to singlehandedly will the Gin Kings back to life with back-to-back triples, but Bong Quinto was quick to douse any Ginebra comeback attempt.
Apart from Newsome, also stepping up for the Bolts was CJ Cansino, who dropped 10 of his 18 points in the payoff period.
Quinto added 11 points, four rebounds, three assists and a steal for the Bolts, who scored back-to-back wins for an even 2-2 card.
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Meanwhile, Abarrientos paced Ginebra with 14 points, four rebounds, three assists and two steals.
Japeth Aguilar contributed 13 points, six rebounds and two blocks, while Stephen Holt and Jeremiah Gray added 12 and 10 points, respectively.
Meralco vs Ginebra Scores:
MERALCO 89 – Newsome 19, Cansino 18, Quinto 11, Hodge 8, Black 8, Maliksi 7, Almazan 6, Banchero 6, Bates 6, Jose 0, Pascual 0
GINEBRA 75 – Abarrientos 14, J.Aguilar 13, Holt 12, Gray 10, Estil 9, Thompson 6, Rosario 5, Torres 3, Pinto 3, Cu 0, David 0
Quarterscores: 16-20, 30-42, 56-61, 89-75
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Like most sportswriters, Jan Ballesteros once dreamed of becoming a professional hooper. But he learned the hard way that it’s not for everyone.
He continues to be involved in the sport he loves, but this time as a member of the PBA Press Corps. Aside from primarily covering the PBA, he is also assigned to cover Gilas Pilipinas.