Metro Manila (CNN Philippines) — Meralco Bolts bucked a slow start to edge Barangay Ginebra San Miguel, 102-99, in the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) Governors’ Cup at the SMART-Araneta Coliseum on Sunday (June 14).
Andre Emmett led the Bolts with 34 points in a game that turned out to be a testy affair.
With two minutes left in the third quarter, Jared Dillinger and Sol Mercado had to be separated by the officials after a brief scuffle.
The exchange resulted in technical fouls on Dillinger, Mercado, and Gary David.
With less than a minute to play, Japeth Aguilar hit a clutch triple to tie the ball game at 99-all.
But just when momentum was swinging Ginebra’s way, Emmett scored on a tough lay up to give the Bolts a 101-99 advantage.
An Orlando Johnson turnover in the succeeding play led to a desperation foul by Ginebra, which Emmett converted to a split from the stripe for a 102-99 advantage.
Mercado missed the last-gasp three pointer that could have salvaged the Gin Kings from the jaws of defeat.
Johnson paced Ginebra with 25 points but it wasn’t enough to avert defeat.
Meralco improved to 5-4, while Ginebra fell to 3-6.
The scores:
MERALCO (102) – Emmett 34, Dillinger 12, Ando 12, Hugnatan 12, David 10, Hodge 7, Cortez 6, Nabong 4, Ildefonso 3, Anthony 2, Caram 0.
GINEBRA (99) – Johnson 25, Slaughter 21, Aguilar 18, Mercado 13, Kim 12, Tenorio 10, Urbiztondo 0, Pena 0, Marcelo 0, Brondial 0.
Quarterscores: 23-28, 50-48, 75-80, 102-99
