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SERVICES
THE INQUIRER COMPANY
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04
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19
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2024
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SERVICES
THE INQUIRER COMPANY
04
19
2024
The Meralco Bolts could well be tested if their flying 2-0 start is for real or not when they face the Rain or Shine Elasto Painters in the PBA Commissioner’s Cup at the Smart Araneta Coliseum Wednesday night.
The Bolts are coming off back-to-back wins over the Star Hotshots and the Tropang TNT Texters when they tangle with the E-Painters at 7 p.m.
Without the benefit of a single practice session with Meralco, late import replacement Arinze Onuaku made a solid debut with the team, leading the Bolts to a 90-86 drubbing of the Star Hotshots on opening night of the mid-season tourney.
They then made it two in a row Saturday with an 88-84 drubbing of a TNT side which lost import Ivan Johnson with over four minutes left in the first half.
A consistently tough and gritty Rain or Shine team is next up for coach Norman Black and his troops.
The Elasto Painters have beaten the Bolts in all of their last five games, nine of their last 10, and 12 of their 14. Or to simply put it, Rain or Shine has been dominant in its head-on duels with Meralco.
A part of ROS’ romp versus Meralco was a sweep of their best-of-five semifinal showdown in this conference last season.
But the E-Painters acknowledge the challenge that the Bolts can present now.
“We have to bring Wayne (Chism) back to his old form. Even if we won versus Star, I was not satisfied with our overall performance,” said ROS coach Yeng Guiao.
“(Meralco import Arinze) Onuaku is big and heavy, and we can’t defend him with a single coverage. We need to double and scramble, and hope that we get to their shooters in time,” Guiao also said.
Jeff Chan, enduring an elbow injury, top scored with 17 points with Chism, Beau Belga, Jericho Cruz, Maverick Ahanmisi and JR Quinahan adding at least 10 points each as the E-Painters topped the Hotshots, 95-86, also on Saturday.
Meralco coach Norman Black is hopeful of a turnaround from their woeful 1-10 showing in the Philippine Cup.
“It’s nice that Arinze is a good player. He really covers some of our weaknesses at the paint. At the same time, the local players are more focused. They’re more used to the system now and the chemistry is better,” said Black.
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