Pingris leads Llamados against Bolts

MACMAC Cardona had a big fourth quarter performance but Mark Pingris had an even bigger endgame attack as the B-Meg Llamados repulsed the Meralco Bolts, 88-83, last night in the 37th PBA Governors’ Cup at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

Pingris scored just 10 points but accounted for B-Meg’s last seven points that enabled the Llamados to snatch their third straight victory since starting the tournament with an overtime loss to the Rain or Shine Elasto Painters.

Cardona finished with a team-high 27 points and in one stretch in the fourth, scored 11 straight points that catapulted the Bolts to an 83-81 lead after trailing, 70-77, halfway through the final period. Meralco took that two-point lead in the final 2:34 but failed to score again.

Pingris, who also had 11 rebounds and two blocks, took over for the Llamados, converting a hook shot in the paint that tied the contest at 83-all 2:05 left.

With Cardona scoring at will, B-Meg head coach Tim Cone assigned Marqus Blakely to guard the shifty guard. The gambit paid off as Blakely shackled Cardona that forced the Bolts to commit a 24-second shot clock violation.

Pingris sank two freethrows with 1:23 left to play, putting the Llamados on top, 85-83.

The Bolts faltered in two offensive incursions with Champ Oguchi missing a three-point shot and Reynel Hugnatan failing to convert a point-blank attempt.

Pingris was sent to the free throw line again, making one of two gift shots as B-Meg increased the lead to three, 86-83, with seven seconds to play.

Meralco had one last chance to tie but Oguchi once again missed a triple and Pingris finished the scoring with two freethrows.

Blakely topped the Llamados with 31 markes, while James Yap had 19.

Oguchi, who may have played his last game with the Bolts, scored just 12 points and was miserable from the three-point distance where he missed all of his 10 attempts.        /EDITORIAL ASSISTANT CALVIN D. CORDOVA