Meralco absorbed another stinging defeat, this time falling at the hands of Al Zamalek of Egypt, 70-62, in the 2023 Doha International Basketball Championship at the Al Gharafa Sports Club in Doha, Qatar early Wednesday, Sept. 27.

The Bolts kept in step with the Egyptians in the first half but lost steam in the third frame where Al Zamalek created the separation it managed to protect and in the process sent the Filipinos to a 0-2 record in the standings.

Meralco even took the lead early in the second half before its defense collapsed against a blistering 15-3 tear from Al Zamalek to close out the third quarter behind the duo of Ahmed Azab and Ahmad Ismail.

When the dust settled, the Bolts, who were up by four, 44-40, suddenly found themselves trailing by nine, 47-56, heading into the final period.

Azab and Ismael provided a lethal one-two punch for the Egyptians with the former finishing with 22 points while the latter wound up with 19.

Import Ferron Hunt paced Meralco with 18 points and nine rebounds but he accounted for eight of the Bolts’ 26 turnovers. 

Allein Maliksi had 17 points on three triples while new import in Serbian Uro Lukovic, a seven-footer center who had just recently joined Meralco, made a good account of himself with 11 points, 13 rebounds and six blocks.

Meralco wraps up its group phase assignments against Al Ahly from Libya on Thursday, Sept. 28.