Crush Barako for first ever semis stint

Import Michael Singletary was held to single digits in scoring for the first time in the 38th PBA Governors’ Cup. It was his last.

Pouncing on Singletary’s worst game in the conference, the Meralco Bolts cruised to a one-sided 86-68 win over the Barako Bull Energy Colas to book their first-ever semifinal appearance last night at the Araneta Coliseum.

Armed with a twice-to-beat edge, the number three seed Meralco quickly dispatched the sixth-ranked Energy Colas behind a stingy defense that saw them limit the usually high-scoring Singletary to just nine points in 45 minutes of action.

Singletary was actually the conference’s leading scorer going into the match by averaging 36 points a game. But failed to get his offensive game going in the critical match where he went just two-for-11 from the two-point field and missed all of his three-point attempts

Singletary’s counterpart, Mario West on the other hand, was efficient as he led the way for the Bolts with a game-high 25 markers on nine-for-20 shooting from the field.

Veteran forward Reynel Hugnatan added 18 points and 12 rebounds for the Bolts, who closed the first half with a fat 44-27 lead.

Mark Cardona and Cliff Hodge also scored in double figures for the Bolts with 12 and 10, respectively.

Ronjay Buenage was the top scorer for the Energy Colas with 23 points. Keith Jensen was the only other Energy Cola in twin digits with 10.

The Bolts will next play the winner in the San Mig-Coffee-Alaska duel. The match was still being played as of this writing with the Coffee Mixers enjoying a twice-to-beat edge.

BOX SCORES

MERALCO (86) – West 25, Hugnatan 18, Cardona 12, Hodge 10, Wilson 8, Cortez 6, Salvacion 3, Ross 2, Dillinger 2, Sena 0, Timberlake 0, Reyes 0.

BARAKO BULL (68)- Buenafe 23, Jensen 10, Singletary 9, Weinstein 5, Marcelo 2, Intal 2 Macapagal 2, Cruz 2, Villanueva 2, Pennisi 2, Pena 0. Quarters: 21-15; 44-27; 67-53; 86-68.