Caram provides power as injury-plagued Meralco zaps Converge to stretch win streak

MANILA, Philippines – Meralco hardly looked like a team missing four key players.

Drawing steady performances from its second stringers, the Bolts notched their third consecutive victory in the PBA Governors’ Cup after giving Converge a 116-88 beating at the Araneta Coliseum on Wednesday, September 4.

Anjo Caram netted 16 points on a perfect 4-of-4 clip from three-point land, taking charge in the pivotal third quarter as Meralco shrugged off a tentative start to improve to 4-1 for the solo lead in Group A.

Caram, stepping up in the absence of injured guards Allein Maliksi (knee) and Aaron Black (knee), scattered 11 points in the third period, which ended with the Bolts leading 86-73 on the way to the 28-point romp.

The Bolts were also without big men Cliff Hodge (back) and Raymond Almazan (knee), but got solid outings from Alvin Pasaol and Jolo Mendoza, who chipped in 12 and 10 points, respectively.

“What is nice is we have guys like Anjo who is a pro, he is ready to play. Guys go down,” said Meralco head coach Luigi Trillo. “The other guys who do not really get as many minutes, they were huge today in their contributions for us.”

“We believe in these guys. We’re glad that they were able to contribute.”

Pasaol made the most of his playing time, shooting 5-of-5 from the field and adding 3 rebounds and 2 assists in 16 minutes as the Bolts finished strong after trailing by as many as 15 points, 8-23, in the opening frame.

“It is really a collective effort. A lot of my teammates played great,” said Caram.

Allen Durham starred for Meralco with 27 points, 14 rebounds, and 6 assists, while Banchero put up 24 points, 5 rebounds, and 5 assists, doing most of his damage in the second quarter.

The FiberXers still led 32-26 to start the second salvo before Banchero caught fire, unloading 12 points as the Bolts entered the break up 56-53.

Converge fell apart completely in the last two quarters and got buried by 30 points, 84-114.

Import Scotty Hopson put up 33 points, 6 rebounds, and 6 assists for the FiberXers, who absorbed their second straight loss and fell to 2-3.

The back-to-back defeats came after Hopson hit the first-ever game-winning four-point shot in league history against TNT.

Alec Stockton tallied 13 points, 4 rebounds, and 4 assists in the loss compounded by the exit of big man Patrick Maagdenberg, who suffered an apparent right knee injury in the second quarter.

Maagdenberg started for Converge in lieu of injured big man Justin Arana (ankle).

The Scores

Meralco 116 – Durham 27, Banchero 24, Caram 16, Pasaol 12, Mendoza 10, Cansino 6, Newsom 5, Quinto 5, Jose 5, Rios 3, Bates 2, Pascual 1.

Converge 88 – Hopson 33, Stockton 13, Delos Santos 12, AMbohot 10, Santos 8, Winston 5, Maagdenberg 4, Andrade 3, Fleming 0, Racal 0, Nieto 0, Caralipio 0, Melecio 0, Fornilos 0, Cabagnot 0.

Quarters: 26-32, 53-50, 86-73, 116-88.

– Rappler.com