MANILA – Meralco Bolts erased a double-digit deficit to escape Busan KCC Egis, 81-80, in the East Asia Super League at the Philsports Arena in Pasig City on Wednesday evening.
Down by as many as 11 points early in the game, the Bolts staged a huge fightback before the tied the score at 80-all on a three-pointer by Kier John Quinto with 30.9 seconds left.
Following a missed basket from the Egis, Leon Williams committed a costly foul on Bolts reinforcement Akil Mitchell, who made the visiting team pay by connecting a go-ahead free throw.
Mitchell, who is set to play for Meralco in the upcoming PBA Commissioner’s Cup, finished with a double-double of 33 points and 22 rebounds as they improved to a 2-1 win-loss slate.
In the other match, San Miguel Beermen’s woes in the EASL continued to pile after failing against the Taiwan-based team, Taoyuan Pilots, 101-85.
The Beermen managed to keep at pace with the visiting team in the opening stanza, but went on a scoring drought in the following quarter, allowing the Pilots to run away with a huge lead.
Taoyuan carried a sizeable 57-33 advantage heading to the second half and never looked back since.
The Beermen remained winless in two games in Group A after losing its debut game against the Suwon KT Sonicboom of the Korean Basketball League, 87-81, also at home last month./PN
