MANILA – Chris Newsome drilled a go-ahead basket with a second left as Meralco Bolts pulled off an 80-78 Game 6 win over San Miguel Beermen to clinch the 2024 PBA Philippine Cup crown last night at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
This is the Manny V. Pangilinan-owned franchise’s first-ever PBA crown since taking over the franchise of the Sta. Lucia Realtors 14 years ago.
With the score tied at 78-all after a rare three-pointer from Beermen center June Mar Fajardo, Newsome pulled up for a basket over the defense of Celedonio Trollano to give the Bolts an 80-78 lead with a second left.
The Beermen still had a chance to snatch the victory, but Fajardo was forced to a tough three-point attempt from the top of the key by the double-teaming defense of the Bolts at the buzzer.
Newsome finished the game with 15 points, on a 4-of-17 field goal shooting, to go with five rebounds, four assists, and two steals as the Bolts finished off the Beermen in the series, 4-2.
Allein Maliksi added 14 markers, Kier John Quinto and Chris Banchero contributed 11 and 10 points, respectively, while Raymond Almazan hauled 10 rebounds to go with nine points for Meralco.
Banchero set the tone for the Bolts with eight early points for a 9-4 start before Norbert Torres and Ilonggo Anjo Caram made their contributions with two triples each for a 29-18 advantage.
Meralco went on with their run in the second quarter as the lead grew to as high as 17 points at 46-29 on two free throws by Maliksi, but San Miguel Beer went on a late run to cut the deficit to 40-47 at the half.
The Beermen continued their uprising in the third canto as they tied the score at 49-all but conversions from Newsome, Quinto, and Clifford Hodge allowed the Beermen to establish a 63-58 lead.
Meralco opened the fourth quarter with an 8-0 blast behind Newsome, Maliksi, and Almazan for a 71-58 lead, but San Miguel Beer countered with a run to cut the deficit to 71-75 on a Simon Enciso three-pointer.
The Bolts answered with a perimeter basket from Newsome for a 77-71 lead with over a minute left, but the Beermen responded with baskets from Fajardo to tie the score at 78-all.
Fajardo finished with a double-double of 21 points and 12 rebounds, Jaymar Perez added 14 markers, while Marcio Lassiter and Moala Tautuaa had 11 and 10 points, respectively, for the dethroned champions Beermen./PN
BOX SCORE:
MERALCO 80 – Newsome 15, Maliksi 14, Quinto 11, Banchero 10, Almazan 9, Torres 6, Caram 6, Hodge 6, Bates 3, Rios 0.
SAN MIGUEL 78 – Fajardo 21, Perez 14, Lassiter 11, Tautuaa 10, Romeo 9, Trollano 7, Enciso 5, Ross 1, Cruz 0, Teng 0, Brondial 0.
Quarterscores: 29-18, 47-40, 63-58, 80-78.
