Bolts boost playoff bid with flattening of listless Dyip
Meralco had little difficulty in drubbing pathetic Terrafirma on Wednesday, with a 120-87 win at Ynares Center in Antipolo giving the Bolts the result they needed in their return to PBA Philippine Cup action as they try to stay inside the magic circle of teams making it past the elimination round.
A 14-0 run to close out the opening frame was all that the Bolts needed, as the Dyip never got back in the game after that.
Meralco rose to 4-4 after their first game since representing the league in the East Asia Super League last week, while dealing the Dyip a seventh straight defeat in a 1-8 card.
CJ Cansino, the former UP ace in the UAAP, came back from an ankle injury to shoot 20 points and pace the Bolts, but it was Chris Banchero, who shot 10 of his 13 in the first period, who greased the early Meralco breakaway.
As things stand, Meralco still holds wafer-thin chances to advance to the playoffs with a twice-to-beat bonus. But the Bolts will need a lot of things to go their way as they are more than two full games out of No. 4.
Three teams are currently tied for third at 6-3.
Barangay Ginebra can keep in step with the Bolts at No. 7 with a win against another doormat in Blackwater at press time.
Rain or Shine still leads the eliminations with a 7-2 record, with San Miguel Beer, hot on a six-game winning streak, running second as both teams will also try to hold off those three teams—Magnolia, Converge and NLEX—from dislodging them in the top two.
Raymund Almazan and Bong Quinto tossed in 11 apiece, with Brandon Bates grabbing 16 rebounds while blocking three shots and scoring seven points.
