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The Meralco Bolts and Phoenix Super LPG Fuel Masters ignited during the Final Four showdown as the squads fought back against their respective foes to make the 2020 PBA Philippine Cup semi-final series even more exciting.
The Bolts rallied from rival Barangay Geneva Gin Kings in the second game with a convincing 95-77 victory to equal the best-of-five semifinal series at 1-1 at the Angeles University Foundation Sports and Cultural Center in Pampanga on Friday.
Chris Newsome scattered 16 points, four rebounds and six dimes to bring the Bolts back into the series after losing Game One by a large margin, 96-79, last Wednesday.
“We only talked about the reality that we couldn’t go 0-2 in the series. We would not have a chance to come back from that deficit against Geneva, ”Meralco coach Norman Black said.
Meralco showed his stinging defense in the second half to get away from the Gin Kings and took the series to zero.
“We knew we had to come out with a lot of energy than the first game. A lot of guys came out and stepped forward, ”Newsome said.
In fact, the Meralco players stepped forward with Bong Quinto (14), Allain Maliksi (14), Cliff Hodge (12), Raymund Almazan (11) and Basir Amer (10), all contributing double figures.
Japeth Aguilar and LA Tenorio had 17 and 16 points, respectively, but Geneva’s top scorer, Stanley Pringle, was limited to just nine markers.
In the separate semi-final match, the Fuel Masters defeated TNT Tropang Giga in the second game, 110-103, to tie the series at 1-1.
Calvin Abueva unleashed a beast performance with a 20-point, 15-rebound double-double along with four assists, two steals and a block to elevate the Fuel Masters, following a 92-95 knockdown in Game One.
“Wala yes Mate. KWe need to-increase wefrom all (Matt wasn’t there. We all had to step up), ”Abueva said, referring to the team’s leading scorer, Matthew Wright, who still has minutes restricted after spraining his right ankle in Game One.
“Did i know Topex Trainer in patient lang sa execution and plays we. ‘That is to say reason kung bakit kami nanalo ngayon (Coach Topex told us to be patient with our execution and plays. That is why we win now) ”, added Abueva.
Wright played just a little over 15 minutes and had two points and three dimes.
“It’s always a pleasure to see Calvin being a different beast right now. He knows that Matt is not 100 percent. When he wasn’t around, Matt was close to him. Now Mate naman wala, she will recover (Now Matt is the one off duty, Calvin was the one who replaced him), ”said Robinson.
Phoenix’s rookie mentor said the team is offering this game to Wright, who has led the team since the beginning of the PBA “bubble” when Abueva was still on indefinite suspension.
“[It’s a] great victory for us. It helps us regain orientation, ”he said.
Jason Perkins walked away with a team-high 21 points. Justin Chua chipped in 18 and RJ Jazul added 16 for the Fuel Masters.
Bobby Ray Parks’ 41-point outburst went to naught as Tropang Giga fell short despite their valiant fight in the second half.
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