Bolts gain share of second place

THE MERALCO Bolts sent the Air21 Express to the brink of elimination via a 100-91 victory last night in the 38th PBA Governors’ Cup at the Cuneta Astrodome.

The Bolts listed their fifth in eight games to tie the San Mig Coffee Mixers at second place behind the league-leading Petron Blaze Boosters, who are 8-1 (win-loss) after a 101-90 win over GlobalPort in the second game last night.

The Express dropped to the bottom of the standings with their sixth loss in eight games.

The season-ending tournament follows a single round robin with the bottom two after the eliminations getting the boot. The top four finishers will enjoy a twice-to-beat advantage over the bottom four. The playoff round will have No. 1 going up against the No. 8; No. 2 vs. No. 7, No. 3 vs. No. 6 and No. 4 vs No. 5.

Mario West finished with 29 points, while Cliff Hodge submitted 24 points and 13 rebounds in Meralco’s third win in four games.

Playing his second game as a Bolt, ex-Air21 playmaker Mike Cortez had significant contribution by tallying 17 points and six assists.

Meanwhile, the league upheld the Barangay Ginebra Kings’ 101-100 victory over the Rain or Shine on Saturday night.

According to an InterAKTV report, league commissioner Chito Salud revealed that the Rain or Shine management failed to file the protest before the 12 noon deadline.

“The result of the Ginebra-Rain or Shine game stands,” Salud said.

Salud insisted that referee Nol Quilingen made the right call against Rain or Shine’s Beau Belga in the final seconds of the game with the Painters leading by two points. Belga fouled the Kings’ Mac Baracael from beyond the arc for three gift shots. /Editorial Assistant Calvin Cordova