The Meralco Bolts secured a spot in the PBA Philippine Cup semifinals after a dominant victory against the NLEX Road Warriors with a final score of 100-81. The game took place on Sunday at the Rizal Memorial Coliseum in Manila.
Meralco’s Chris Banchero delivered an outstanding performance with a season-high 23 points, along with seven rebounds and six assists. The Bolts will now face Barangay Ginebra in the next round of the playoffs.
Despite initially keeping pace with the Bolts, the Road Warriors fell behind in the fourth quarter, allowing Meralco to go on a 10-0 run and secure the win. The Road Warriors’ season came to an end after the Bolts’ strong offensive showing.
Key players for Meralco included Allein Maliksi and Cliff Hodge, who each contributed 14 points, while Bong Quinto added 13 points. The Road Warriors were led by Robert Bolick with 18 points and Dominick Fajardo with 15 points.
Meralco’s efficient shooting, 49% from the field, proved to be crucial in their victory, as the Road Warriors struggled with a 36% shooting percentage. The Bolts’ strong performance now sets the stage for an exciting semifinals matchup against Barangay Ginebra.
