Bolts sticking together key to better things
Chris Newsome urged his Meralco teammates to toughen up amid their rough start in the PBA Philippine Cup, a skid that ended with Wednesday’s win over Blackwater.
“I think it’s more about the mental stage and keeping everybody in the right mental frame of mind so that way we can take those losses, learn from them and move forward,” Newsome said after the Bolts defeated the Bossing, 105-96, at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
Meralco bounced back from two tough losses against newcomer Titan Ultra and Rain or Shine, the latter opponent rallying late in regulation to force overtime before winning in Rodriguez, Rizal.
Newsome and the Bolts do need to get themselves in a proper mindset, especially with a tough schedule ahead.
Meralco, which got 22 points from Newsome, will be playing in two of the next three playdates, with its next opponent being Barangay Ginebra on Friday at the same venue, followed by a long trek to Rodriguez on Sunday against Magnolia.
Then there’s the East Asia Super League campaign that the Bolts will open next Wednesday with imports Rondae Hollis-Jefferson and Justin Brownlee, plus Ismael Romero and Iranian guard Sina Vahedi.
The Bolts are in Group B with their first opponent Ryukyu Golden Kings of Japan, Taiwan’s Taoyuan Pilots and the Macau Black Bears, with Hollis-Jefferson hoping that the team-up with Brownlee can do wonders.
“Understanding where guys thrive at, how to put them in the best situations to be successful, I think will help us in the EASL,” Hollis-Jefferson said last Monday at the PBA Press Corps Awards Night.
“It’s about which way will I have to turn,” he added. “I’m sure you guys will see a different side of me versus, oh, I’ve got to go get 35 (points) or something to help us win, when it’s like, JB (Brownlee) can get 35.”
For now, the Bolts are hoping that the win over the Bossing can translate into something positive for the rest of the Philippine Cup.
