By REYNALD MAGALLON
Meralco just couldn’t survive the huge scare from Busan KCC Egis this time, squandering a double-digit lead to suffer a heartbreaking 72-68 defeat in the EASL Home-And-Away Season 2 Wednesday, Dec. 18 at the Busan Sajik gymnasium.
The hosts came back from the dead in the final frame and haunted the Bolts who led by as many as 13 points in the last four minutes of the payoff period but all of it vanished in front of a furious rally from the champions of the 2023-’24 KBL Season.
Unlike in their first meeting in Manila where Meralco survived a late rally from Busan, the Bolts just couldn’t find ways to stop the bleeding in the final quarter as Heo Ung waxed hot from deep, firing seven triples on his way to 31 points.
He spearheaded a backbreaking 19-2 finishing kick as Busan listed its first win in the EASL while Meralco, which held a 66-53 lead at one point of the contest, slid to an even 2-2 slate in Group B.
Import Deon Burton added 26 for the home team while leading the charge for the Filipinos was
DJ Kennedy who had 23 points and nine rebounds.
Akil Mitchell, who scored the game-winning basket in the two teams’ Nov. 13 encounter, had a double-double of 17 points and 18 rebounds despite wearing a face mask after coming off a surgery on his broken nose.
Elsewhere, San Miguel remained winless in the regional league after dropping a 71-62 decision against Eastern over at the Southorn Stadium.
Kobey Lam proved to be the biggest thorn to the side of the Filipinos as he led a pivotal 9-0 spurt that created the much-needed separation for the Hong Kong-based squad which was also a guest team in the PBA.
He finished with 19 points to lead the home team while import Chris McLaughlin added 16 points and 17 rebounds for a 1-2 record in Group A.
The twin towers of Torren Jones and June Mar Fajardo had 19 apiece but were not enough to prevent the PH representative from falling to a 0-3 slate.
