Meralco just couldn’t catch a break in its overseas stint, this time absorbing a 75-56 defeat at the hands of Faith Union Sport from Morocco in the classification round of the Dubai Basketball International Championship at the Al Gharafa Sports Club in Doha in the wee hours of Saturday, Sept. 30.

The Bolts struggled offensively all-game long but none more lackluster in the third frame where the Filipinos could only afford to put up a measly eight points – a stretch which the Moroccans made sure to take advantage and blow the game wide open.

Ferron Hunt tried to carry the fight for Meralco with team-high 16 points to go along with eight rebounds but lacked support from the rest of the team with Diego Dario being the next best scorer for the Bolts with only 10 points.

In contrast, the Moroccans had four players scoring in double-figures led by Abdelhakim Zoukita who finished with 19 points and six rebounds. He was backstopped by Aliouu Diarra with 16 points and eight rebounds and Soufiane Benmhine with 15 points.

Meralco, despite an anemic shooting in the first half, stayed within striking distance at the break, only down by six, 37-31. The tide however started going against the Filipinos at the start of the second half after they were limited to just four points in the first eight minutes of the third.

A 13-0 run midway the frame established a 19-point lead for FUS – an advantage it never relinquished even at the face of desperate efforts from Meralco behind the performance of Dario and Aaron Black in the final frame.

The Bolts wrap up their Middle East trip with a clash against Al Arabi FC in the classification for the seventh and eighth spots.

 A win for the Filipinos would allow Meralco to avoid a winless run in the tournament and finish dead last although standing in the way is Al Arabi to which the Bolts lost in the group stage, 90-82.