Metro Manila (CNN Philippines) —The Meralco Bolts took a 1-0 series edge in the PBA Governors’ Cup finals after outlasting a gritty Barangay Ginebra in overtime, 114-109, on Friday at the Smart-Araneta Coliseum.
Import Allen Durham finished with a game-high 46 points, 13 rebounds, and seven assists.
The Gin Kings seized early control with a 53-42 advantage at the half.
But things went a notch higher as Meralco stepped on the gas in the second half.
Jimmy Alapag gave Meralco the lead with a go-ahead triple, 101-100, with 33.4 seconds remaining in the game. With the three-point shot, he tied with Allan Caidic’s record of all time most triples made in PBA history with 1,242.
L.A. Tenorio once again proved why he’s one of the elite players in the country after sinking a clutch floater to tie the game and send it to overtime, 102-102.
Before the 14,522 crowd in attendance, Durham singlehandedly carried his team in early goings of the extension period with seven unanswered points.
It was enough for the Bolts to pull away and seal the victory.
Tenorio posted a new career-high 36 points.
The scores:
Meralco (114) – Durham 46, Newsome 17, Hugnatan 15, Alapag 13, Faundo 8, Amer 5, Caram 4, Hodge 4, Buenafe 2, Nabong 0, Uyloan 0.
Ginebra (109) – Tenorio 36, Brownlee 17, Caguioa 14, Devance 13, Mercado 8, Thompson 8, Aguilar 6, Cruz 5, Marcelo 2, Mariano 0.
Quarterscores: 31-28, 42-53, 75-80, 102-102, 114-109.
