Bolts, Energy look to end series today

Games Wednesday:
Araneta Coliseum
5:15 p.m.- Meralco vs. B-Meg
7:30 p.m.- Barako Bull vs. Alaska

THE MERALCO Bolts and the Barako Bull Energy try to bring out the broom and earn a trip to the Final Four round when they play separate foes today in the best-of-three quarterfinal round of the 37th PBA Commissioner’s Cup at the Araneta Coliseum.

Looking to complete a big upset, the Bolts face the B-Meg Llamados in the first game, while the Energy collide with the Alaska Aces in the main game.

Meralco, the lowest seed in the quarters, shocked the number three seed B-Meg in Game 1 with a 103-81 blowout win with import Earl Barron and Mark Cardona coming up big in the offensive end by scoring 34 and 22 points, respectively.

But Meralco head coach Ryan Gregroio said it was their defense that brought them just a game away from advancing to the semifinals to challenge the Barangay Ginebra Kings in a best-of-five affair.

“Essentially, we played basketball with a big emphasis on defense from opening the tip ‘till the end. We played hard and we’re just so focused,” Gregorio told pba.ph.

“This is a first playoff win for us in five conferences. It’s an enormous breakthrough for this franchise.”

The Bolts led by as many as 23 points but the Llamados rallied within 77-80 before the Bolts ended with a decisive 18-0 run to seal the win.

It didn’t help that B-Meg head coach Tim Cone was ejected in the fourth after incurring two technical fouls.

The Energy, meanwhile, survived an scoreless performance by new import Reggie Okosa in downing the Aces in their own series-opener, 103-90. /EDITORIAL ASSISTANT CALVIN D. CORDOVA