Meralco Bolts’ import KJ McDaniels within the PBA Governors’ Cup. -PBA IMAGES
Meralco has to battle “tooth and nail” to place itself in a superb place to make a deep playoff run within the Philippine Basketball Affiliation Governors’ Cup.
If it’s any comfort, coach Norman Black and the Bolts aren’t alone in that predicament.
“Nearly the entire groups are struggling to make the playoffs,” Black mentioned after a 114-98 win over the NLEX Highway Warriors that arrested a two-game slide on Thursday at PhilSports Enviornment in Pasig Metropolis.
“There’s truly two groups (TNT and San Miguel Beer) which can be pulling away, whereas everyone else is kinda tooth and nail making an attempt to remain within the operating. We’re a type of groups,” added Black because the Bolts improved to 4-3 (win-loss).
Meralco, whose final two defeats got here in opposition to the runaway leaders who’ve secured their quarterfinal slots, restored its sixth-place tie with Magnolia within the standings and is only a recreation behind third-placer Converge, which was taking part in at press time.
Additionally bunched carefully collectively are NLEX, which dropped to fourth at 5-3, and fourth-running Barangay Ginebra at 4-2.
Meralco may have possibilities to bolster its bid whereas hauling down different groups caught in a decent playoff chase.
The Bolts will battle Magnolia on Sunday at Good Araneta Coliseum, Ginebra on March 1 and Converge on March 3 earlier than assembly Phoenix to conclude the elimination spherical on March 5.
To realize that purpose, nonetheless, Black is banking on import KJ McDaniels to place up large numbers like he did early within the convention, and Thursday in opposition to NLEX, his former crew.
McDaniels had 31 factors and 21 rebounds in opposition to the Highway Warriors, who he bolstered within the early portion of final season’s Governors’ Cup. He averaged 22.0 factors and 14.0 rebounds in opposition to the Beermen and Tropang Giga.
“We obtained an enormous recreation from KJ which we didn’t get within the final two video games,” Black mentioned. “If he may give us that kind of efficiency, then we have now an opportunity of beating anyone.”
However the locals are additionally anticipated to share that burden, particularly Allein Maliksi, who obtained 19 factors together with key pictures from three-point land that prevented the Highway Warriors from drawing nearer after repeated makes an attempt to chop right into a 21-point deficit.
Chris Newsome, Aaron Black, Cliff Hodge and Anjo Caram have been additionally instrumental within the win that was highlighted by a 22-0 run that turned a 16-15 deficit with lower than 5 minutes to go within the first right into a 37-16 lead early within the second.
NLEX absorbed a 3rd defeat in 4 video games since authentic import Jonathon Simmons left for China and was changed by Wayne Selden, who regardless of the crew’s droop stays to be one of many event’s proficient imports.
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