MANILA, Philippines — The stage is set for another high-powered post-season duel bet ween Meralco and Barangay Ginebra.
With the Gin Kings waiting in the Season 48 PBA Philippine Cup semifinals, the Bolts took care of business and hammered a two-game sweep of quarterfinal foe NLEX, 100-81, last night at the Rizal M emorial Coliseum.
After rallying to a 97-93 win and bucking Robert Bolick’s 48-point scorcher in Game 1, the Bolts turned on full power defensively and offensively to finish off the Road Warriors in the race-to-two and follow Ginebra to the best-of-seven series.
The No. 2 and twice-to-beat Gin Kings had already advanced Saturday with a 99-77 rout of No. 7 Magnolia.
The Bolts and the Gin Kings will duel for the eighth time in the playoffs since Season 41, a rivalry marked by three finals entanglements.
While limiting Bolick to 18 on 6-of-18 shooting, the Bolts also did a better job getting buckets, making 49.3 percent of their shots (37-of-75).
Chris Banchero dropped 14 of his game-high 23 in the fourth quarter as he ignited a telling 24-11 ex change that put Game 2 beyond NLEX’ reach.
Earlier, Rain or Shine’s youth brigade showed more poise in the endgame this time to secure a lifesaving 121-113 Game 2 win over TNT.
Wiser coming off a fourth-quarter meltdown in their opening 99-116 loss, the E-Painters outsteadied the Tropang Giga and unleashed an 11-2 salvo in the last 2:38 to force their opponents to a 1-1 tie and a deciding third game.
At the forefront of ROS’ gritty stance was Jhona rd Clarito, who gunned down a career-high 29 points built around a perfect 5-of-5 marksmanship from beyond the arc.
Clarito’s last triple was part of the E-Painters’ bombardment towards the finish.
MANILA, Philippines — Creamline’s destiny has long been written in the stars for everyone to see.
It lights up in two words – great team.
And 23,162 fans at the Smart Araneta Coliseum and hundred folds more in livestreams all over the world bore witness as the mighty Cool Smashers conquered the befuddled Choco Mucho Flying Titans in an epi c 20-25, 25-20, 22-25, 25-22, 15-11 victory for yet another PVL championship.
It was Creamline’s eighth championship that extended the proud franchise’s dynastic reign.
And in the words of Creamline power spiker Jema Galanza, it looks like Creamline isn’t slowing down.
“Dadagdagan pa namin ng nine, 10, 11, forever,” screamed an ecstatic Galanza amid the din of their All-Filipino Conference championship celebration.
Alyssa Valdez, the voice that stabilizes her team in times of turmoil, for her part, said it was their faith in one another that kept them together on their way to one of many glorious moments they achieved.
“Despite the struggles, we did not give up and we kept believing on each other,” said the Creamline captain.
Creamline, which took the opener, 24-26, 25-20, 25-21, 25-16, Thursday, appeared in trouble early as it dropped the opening set, but rebounded by taking the second before Sisi Rondina and the hungry Flying Titans roared back in the third and seized the 2-1 set lead.
But it turned out to be the beginning of the end for Choco Mucho as Creamline, relying mostly on its bench mob that included Bea de Leon and Bernadeth Pons, showed calmness in an ocean of storm and rallied back to seal its magnificent fate.
It was another heartbreaking ending for Creamline’s younger sibling as its furious championship search ended fruitless once again.
Meanwhile, Petro Gazz claimed third place on a higher FIVB tiebreak.
Early on, Chery Tiggo pulled off a comeback for the ages in a nail-biting 16-25, 11-25, 25-13, 25-22, 18-16 victory to even up at one game apiece.
But the tiebreaker belonged to the Angels, victors in Game One.
Eya Laure was the fuel that kept the machine going for the Crossovers as she unloaded 26 points including key hits in the final three sets when they staged a monumental fightback from what had looked like a hopeless two-set deficit.
Comics (May 13, 2024)
What do you do when you get tired and feel like giving up? What’s the benefit of finishing strong?