Overview
Meralco secured a 121-111 victory over Rain or Shine (ROS) in a high-scoring PBA Commissioner’s Cup game at the Ynares Sports Center, Antipolo. The game marked the highest-scoring match of the conference so far, despite both teams playing without their imports.
Key Highlights
- Chris Newsome and Bong Quinto Shine: Newsome scored 25 points (21 in the first half), while Quinto contributed 20 points, leading a balanced Meralco offense.
- Scoring Contributors: Meralco had strong performances from Jansen Rios (16), Norbert Torres (13), Raymond Almazan (12), and Cliff Hodge (11).
- Resilience After Losing Import: Meralco lost their import, Akil Mitchell, just 12 seconds into the game due to a broken nose but maintained their momentum throughout.
Rain or Shine’s Effort
- The Elasto Painters, without their import Deon Thompson (awaiting a special work permit), were led by Keith Datu (17 points), Adrian Nocum (15), and Leonard Santillan (14).
- Despite staying competitive early, ROS struggled to close the gap after falling behind by 11 points in the second half.
Next Games
- Meralco: Faces the Terrafirma Dyip on Friday at the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex.
- Rain or Shine: Plays against Hong Kong Eastern on Wednesday at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium.
This win puts Meralco at 2-0, sharing the lead in the standings, while Rain or Shine is at 0-1 after their conference debut.
The scores
Meralco 121 – Newsome 25, Quinto 20, Rios 16, Torres 13, Almazan 12, Hodge 11, Caram 10, Black 9, Pascual 2, Jose 2, Pasaol 1, Mitchell 0.
Rain or Shine 111 – Datu 17, Nocum 15, Santillan 14, Clarito 13, Tiongson 12, Caracut 11, Lemetti 9, Belga 6, Norwood 5, Malonzo 5, Ildefonso 2, Demusis 2.
Quarterscores: 33-25, 52-49, 89-81, 121-111
