SIMILAR situation, different ending?
Meralco pushed Ginebra on the brink with a stunning win last Sunday night, but Bolts acting coach Luigi Trillo downplayed his charges’ chances, convinced the Kings are far from done.
“Just a lot of minds coming in, chipping in. We know we had to get our guys together to discuss that, even Coach Norman (Black),” Trillo, still calling the shots for the team in lieu of Norman Black who is still in the United States, said.
“We know we are going up against a champion team and this is just one game. We need one more game. We know they will come back harder in the second game,” he added.
Trillo spoke after Meralco clobbered Ginebra 93-82 in Game 1 of their best-of-3 quarterfinals battle in the PBA Philippine Cup.
The victory that came on the heels of the Bolts’105-89 thumping of Terrafirma five days ago enabled fifth seed Meralco to gain a crucial head start in the race-to-2 series.
The Bolts will try to clinch a semifinals slot in Game 2 on Friday at The Arena in San Juan.
Fourth-ranked Ginebra, coming off a 100-93 triumph over Phoenix last Thursday, is out to forge a knockout match on a date and venue still to be announced by the pro league.
Meralco has fallen four times to Ginebra in the finals of the Governors Cup, including the last season-ending tourney where the Bolts took a 2-1 lead before the Kings won the next three.
Aaron Black showed the way for Meralco with 25 points, three rebounds and two assists, while Chris Newsome added 19 markers, nine boards, and six dimes.
Allein Maliksi and Cliff Hodge also had 17 and 10 points, respectively, for the Bolts.
Meralco led by as much as 91-70 on a Bong Quinto slam dunk at the 7:58 mark of the fourth quarter before Ginebra trimmed the deficit to 79-81 on a John Pinto layup with 2:59 remaining.
But the Bolts held their ground the rest of the way.
Meralco also whipped the Kings 90-73 in their eliminations duel last July 13.
“We just had to keep our composure. I don’t think Ginebra’s gonna roll over and die. They’re the never-say-die team,” Trillo said.
“So, we know even if we get a 15-point lead or an 18-point lead, it’s never safe,” he added.
Reigning MVP Scottie Thompson paced Ginebra with 29 points and 10 rebounds, while Christian Standhardinger had 12 markers.
