Meralco looks to bounce back from SMB loss, faces NLEX
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Meralco coach Norman Black remembers all too well how his team opened up last season’s PBA Commissioner’s
Cup with five straight wins but struggled the rest of the way after suffering a loss to San Miguel Beer.
“We were never the same after that,” recalled Black, still wincing at the memories of how his Bolts won only one out of their remaining six games in the elimination round.
It is then perfectly quite understandable why Black wants his charges to come out with a heightened sense of urgency when they take on dangerous NLEX Friday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
In this Oppo-sponsored mid-season tourney, the Bolts had the same 5-0 start but absorbed an 86-94 loss to SMB last Saturday.
Meralco remained at the top, but is now hard-pressed to avoid the same collapse it had last year.
“We will put all our efforts into trying to bounce back from our loss to San Miguel Beer,” said Black.
After back-to-back losses NLEX just simply wants to win or else join Star, GlobalPort and Tropang TNT at the cellar and Road Warriors coach Boyet Fernandez knows the Bolts would be chomping at the bits to get back on track.
“Meralco, even though they lost their last game, they are still on top, currently the best defensive team in the league,” noted Fernandez.
“We are always ready every game. It’s a matter of us executing our gameplan,” Fernandez added.
Black has also laid down a basic strategy for his crew. “NLEX is a high-scoring team so we will put premium on our defense as well as rebounding,” he said.
“The number one problem will be how to slow down Al Thornton.”
Thornton sure looks poised for a big bounce-back.
After averaging 35.25 points in NLEX’s first four games Thornton was limited to just 19 in a 94-121 blowout loss to Rain or Shine last Friday.
Fernandez also expects the likes of Sean Anthony, Asi Taulava, Jonas Villanueva and Kevin Alas do their part, especially on making the needed stops against a Meralco squad that has Arinze Onuaku, Cliff Hodge, Chris Newsome, Jared Dillinger and Gary David.
“For us to steal the game against them we need to match up with their energy, both in defense and offense,” said Fernandez.
“Tough matchup, but we are ready.”
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