Games Monday (Philippine Arena, Bulacan)
3 p.m. – NLEX vs GlobalPort
5:15 p.m. – Magnolia vs Ginebra
KG Canaleta served a poetic justice to his former team last night, hitting a dagger three in the dying seconds to seal Meralco’s 103-98 victory over Blackwater for a positive start to its campaign in the PBA Philippine Cup at the Cuneta Astrodome.
Left unsigned by the Elite in the offseason, Canaleta scored a bank shot from the top of the three-point arc as the Bolts survived after almost seeing their 19-point lead early in the fourth disappear entering the home stretch.
Canaleta’s triple gave Meralco a 101-95 lead, then iced the game with two foul shots after Blackwater’s Roi Sumang trimmed the margin in half with a three of his own and complete a memorable debut for his new team.
While Blackwater may have regretted its choice of letting the 35-year-old forward walk the door, Meralco welcomed his addition with open arms.
“I like to give special mention to KG, who I thought was exceptional tonight,” said Bolts coach Norman Black. “He’s gonna be a very good addition for our team.”
He finished with 25 points, making five threes, while grabbing nine rebounds in 28 minutes as a starter, a statline the Bolts hope would be a norm rather than the exception with key players Cliff Hodge and Ranidel de Ocampo dealing with injuries.
Meralco is also looking at Canaleta to enhance Meralco’s chances in the Philippine Cup. The Bolts won just four games in the last two all-Filipino tournaments, a reversal to their strong campaigns in import-laden conferences.
“Bibigay ko lang best ko every game,” Canaleta said in a TV interview. “Yung pagkawala nila RDO at Cliff, very big hole na dapat matakpan ko. Basta bigay ko lang best ko every game.”
Baser Amer had 17 points, 12 assists and five rebounds and Jared Dillinger delivered 15 points and 11 rebounds for Meralco.
Meralco overcame a 39-27 second quarter deficit to put Blackwater in a 44-all tie at the half. The Bolts then scored 19 straight points, with Canaleta and Dillinger leading the charge with their long-range shots, to turn a 54-50 deficit with 8:16 to go in the third into a 69-54 lead four minutes later.
First Game
MERALCO 103 – Canaleta 25, Amer 17, Dillinger 15, Newsome 12, Lanete 8, Ballesteros 6, Tolomia 6, Baracael 5, Faundo 4, Hugnatan 3, Caram 2, Salva 0.
BLACKWATER 98 – Jose 16, Maliksi 16, Sumang 15, Belo 13, Erram 11, Cortez 8, Javier 6, DiGregorio 6, Sena 4, Pinto 3, Cruz 0, Banal 0, Marcelo 0.
Quarters: 23-27; 44-44; 77-66; 103-98.