By Leobert Julian A. de la Peña
The Meralco Bolts kicked off its PBA Governor’s Cup campaign on a high note after containing the Magnolia Hotshots Chicken Timplados, 99-94, during the opening tip-off on August 18, 2024, at the SMART Araneta Coliseum.
Despite a sloppy start from both teams to start the first 12 minutes of action, Meralco was the first to jump ahead as they stepped on the gas pedal midway through the second frame.
Boosted by the return of their former reinforcement Allen Durham, Meralco already looked like a team with chemistry as their crisp ball movement led to wide-open shots from the three-point line and the perimeter.
Durham, who returned to the Philippines after three years, immediately provided the jolt of energy that Meralco needed after the Chicken Timplados outrebounded them in the first quarter.
As Durham finally caught fire, his tenacity went contagious as the likes of Chris Newsome, Chris Banchero, and Cliff Hodge joined hands to put the Bolts up by as much as 14 points in the third quarter.
However, Magnolia came roaring back in the final frame, utilizing the newly implemented four-point line after Paul Lee drained one that started the comeback of the Chicken Timplados.
With Magnolia only down by three points in the final stretch of the fourth, their import, former NBA talent Glenn Robinson III, attempted for a hero ball when he hoisted a long shot from the four-point line and took the risk with the hopes of putting the Chicken Timplados up by a point.
His four-point try missed off the rim, leading to a Durham rebound that sealed the deal for the Bolts as the import put the nail in the coffin with two clutch shots from the charity stripe with only two seconds remaining in the ball game.
Durham spearheaded the Meralco attack with a dominant double-double performance in his first game back in the PBA, tallying 20 points and 16 rebounds during the win.
Backstopping Durham for the Meralco side was Banchero who chipped in 14 markers including a four-point make.
Hodge, Meralco’s energy guy, picked up where he left off during their All-Filipino championship run after filling the stat sheets with 12 markers, nine boards, and five dimes.
Meralco will aim for its second consecutive win in the import-laced conference on August 22, 2024, as they take on the revamped TNT Tropang Giga squad in the final game of the scheduled doubleheader.
On the other hand, the Chicken Timplados will look to bounce back and claim their first win in the Governor’s Cup on August 23, 2024, against the Converge FiberXers.
