BOLTS GO FOR SHORT WORK OF ENERGY THROUGH ‘D’

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FORTUNE, coupled with some blue-collar attitude, enabled Barako Bull to escape Meralco’s clutches the first time they met.

The Energy will need both of those and much more when they collide anew with the Bolts Wednesday at the start of the PBA Governors’ Cup quarterfinals at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

For finishing third at the end of the nine-game eliminations Meralco enjoys a twice-to-beat advantage over sixth-seed Barako, but Bolts coach Ryan Gregorio is not too concerned about rankings since he knows the Energy have the tools to repeat their 90-89 squeaker in their initial faceoff last Aug. 18.

Barako’s arsenal is led by Mike Singletary, who is averaging a league-best 36.0 points per game.

“We are up against the best scorer in the league in Mike Singletary. Our defense, which brought us to where we are right now will be tested to the hilt,” said Gregorio.

“We are not taking any chances. Barako is such a dangerous team. Our lockdown defensive mentality must be present at all times.”

To further prop their bid of making short work of the Energy and advance to the semifinals for only the second time in franchise history the Bolts are also set to suit up Jared Dillinger for the first time in the conference.

The former Talk N Text guard acquired before the conference has been declared fully recovered from a hip injury and fit enough to see action.

Barako, meanwhile, would be without Emman Monfort, who is out of the conference with a fractured right ring finger and active consultant Rajko Toroman said it is sure to be tough going against a team that allows opponents a league-best 86.3 points per game.

Yet the Serbian remains confident his team can at least extend the series to a decider on Friday

“Meralco is a good team. They are stronger now with (new acquisition Mike) Cortez and we are without Monfort,” said Toroman. “Still we believe we can win this game and we will fight to win it. We have been playing well the past two games.”

Barako won their first meeting after Monfort scored 22 points to complement Singletary’s 28 and 14 rebounds and Meralco import Mario West, who arrived just four days earlier, wound up with a gamehigh 33 points but made only five of his 16 shots in the second half.

West’s woes were highlighted by back-to-back muffed drives inside the last 17 seconds that would have turned the game Meralco’s way.

Meralco would lose another game after that but turned its fortunes around with a three-game winning streak. The Bolts eventually won four of their last six games with West finishing the elims with averages of 28.33 points and 1.89 steals per game.

For its part, Barako lost three straight to finish the elims but the last two of those, against San Mig and Alaska, were decided by not more than four points, fanning Toroman’s hopes. (NC)

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