Meralco drew another impressive performance from import Tony Bishop to outlast TNT, 83-80, Wednesday, Dec. 22 in the PBA Governors’ Cup at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
Bishop scored five straight points after a 76-all before the Bolts prevented the Tropang Giga from forcing overtime to register their second win in as many games.
The Panamanian national team member finished with 36 points and 17 rebounds as he continues to make Meralco
Chris Newsome had 15 points, five rebounds and four assists while Allein Maliksi added 10 for Meralco.
Coach Norman Black’s team handed the Tropang Giga their second loss in three games to start the season-ending conference.
TNT came close to snatching victory away from Meralco, erasing a nine-point halftime deficit behind the trio of RR Pogoy, Mikey Williams and Jayson Castro.
But Bishop foiled the plans of the Philippine Cup champions, scoring a three-point play off a Poy Erram foul with 2:59 left in the fourth to make it 79-76 for Meralco.
Bishop came through again 22 seconds later, scoring a medium-range shot in transition for 81-76 Meralco.
TNT later pulled within two, 82-80, on WIlliams’ bank shot with under a minute left while Newsome split his two foul shots for a three-point game, nine seconds to go.
But TNT couldn’t even the score before time expired as Kelly Williams muffed a triple from the right side.
Pogoy finished with 25 points but went down with cramps after playing 41 minutes for the Tropang Giga. Mikey Williams had 24 points while Castro added 16.
The three did most of the job with import McKenzie Moore struggling with four points on 2-of-9 shooting.
Moore’s woes forced TNT to play all-Filipino during the crucial stages of the contest.
The scores:
MERALCO 83 — Bishop 36, Newsome 15, Maliksi 10, Caram 7, Hodge 6, Almazan 5, Quinto 3, Black 1, Pinto 0, Belo 0.
TNT 80 — Pogoy 25, M.Williams 24, Castro 16, Moore 4, Erram 4, K. Williams 3, Marcelo 2, Banal 2, Heruela 0, Reyes 0, Khobuntin 0.
Quarters: 21-18, 44-35, 63-58, 83-80.