Meralco Bolts emerged victorious under the leadership of Luigi Trillo, securing a 97-89 win against NorthPort Batang Pier. This marked Trillo’s first game as the official head coach of the Bolts, and it proved to be a successful debut.
The Bolts exhibited a remarkable comeback in the fourth quarter, unleashing an impressive offensive display by notching 33 points against the Batang Pier. They carried the momentum from a strong third quarter, which propelled them into the lead.
Leading the charge for Meralco was Allein Maliksi, who showcased his skills with 21 points, four rebounds, three assists, and two steals. Bong Quinto also made significant contributions with 14 points, six rebounds, and four assists.
Cliff Hodge and Anjo Caram provided valuable support, each contributing 11 points, with Hodge also securing 10 rebounds to achieve a double-double performance.
On the opposing side, Jeff Chan led NorthPort with 20 points and two assists, while JM Calma contributed 15 points, 11 rebounds, one assist, and one block.
In a reunion with his former Letran coach Bonnie Tan, Fran Yu made a modest impact off the bench, contributing five points and one rebound.
The scores:
MERALCO 97 — Maliksi 21, Quinto 14, Hodge 11, Caram 11, Torres 10, Pascual 9, Pasaol 8, Jose 7, Almazan 6, Manday 0, Rios 0.
NORTHPORT 89 — Chan 20, Calma 15, Zamar 12, Santos 9, Salado 8, Yu 5, Munzon 5, Taha 2, Olivario 2, Gabriel 0, Caperal 0, Comboy 0, Bulawan 0.
Quarters Scores: 26-12, 51-40, 64-64, 97-89.
