MANILA – Meralco Bolts used a huge finishing run to defeat Barangay Ginebra San Miguel Kings, 83-74, in Game 3 of the 2021-2022 PBA Governors’ Cup Finals last night at the SM Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City.
With the score tied at 69-all, the Bolts leaned on a three-pointer and inside basket from Chris Newsome and another twinner from Allein Maliksi to build a 77-71 lead.
The Kings cut it to 74-77 on a three-point play by Christian Standhardinger but consecutive baskets from Newsome, Tony Bishop and Maliksi widened the lead to 83-74 with under a minute left.
Bishop finished the match with double-double 30 points and 16 rebounds while also supplying two steals, one assists and a block as the Bolts took a 2-1 lead in the best-of-seven series.
Newsome came alive offensively with near triple-double 20 points, 11 rebounds and six assists, while Maliksi bounced back from a scoreless Game 2 with 10 markers.
Both teams traded baskets in the first quarter before the Kings went on a scoring surge behind Justin Brownlee and Standhardinger to take a 27-22 lead.
Barangay Ginebra continued its run in the second quarter as they build their largest lead at 12 points but Meralco got consecutive points from Bishop to trim the deficit to 40-48 at the half.
The Bolts started the third quarter strong with conversions from Newsome, Bishop and Maliksi to snatch the lead at 55-54. They went on to cling to a 62-61 edge going into the fourth.
In the final quarter, the Bolts took a 69-66 upperhand on baskets from Bishop and Newsome before the Kings tied the score for the last time at 69-all on a triple by Negrense Jeffrei Chan.
Brownlee ended with 19 points, 15 rebounds and seven assists, Standhardinger added 17 markers, while Earl Scottie Thompson and LA Tenorio chipped in 11 each for the Kings.
BOX SCORE:
MERALCO 83 – Bishop 30, Newsome 20, Maliksi 10, Black 8, Almazan 6, Quinto 3, Banchero 2, Hugnatan 2, Baclao 2, Hodge 0.
GINEBRA 74 – Brownlee 19, Standhardinger 17, Thompson 11, Tenorio 11, Chan 9, Pinto 5, Devance 2, Tolentino 0, Mariano 0.
Quarterscores: 22-27, 40-48, 62-61, 83-74./PN
