(c) sports5 The Purefoods Star Hotshots got a big lift from backup center Yousef Taha, who made big plays in the fourth quarter, as they escaped with a tight 77-74 win over Meralco at the Alonte Sports Arena in Biñan, Laguna. Taha made several big plays in the last four minutes, scoring on three consecutive baskets and playing a key role defensively as he sparked an 11-2 run that turned a one-point deficit into an eight-point lead, 77-69, inside the final minute. The third-year center finished with 14 points on 6-for-7 shooting, alongside nine rebounds, three assists and two blocks for the Hotshots, who improved to 4-3 and leapfrogged the Bolts (4-4) in the standings. Peter June Simon led the team with 18 points while Mark Barroca added 16. Purefoods superstar James Yap contributed 11 markers in the win. Purefoods’ always dangerous second unit sparked the team at the top of the fourth as Barroca, Taha and Allein Maliksi led a 9-2 run that forced a deadlock, 61-all. Simon made some tough shots but committed his fifth foul of the game at the 4:16 mark and had to sit out. It was not a problem for the Hotshots, though, with Taha stepping up and making big play after big play. He banked in a jumper, drove for a layup and made a hook shot on offense while making some nice defensive plays as well, drawing a Cliff Hodge offensive foul for warding off and a Reynel Hugnatan foul on a rebound play. Joe Devance hit a jumper to make it eight unanswered points for the Hotshots and, after a basket from Hugnatan, Barroca capped the run with a big three-pointer that made it 77-69, with just 42 seconds left to play. Meralco got some big plays from Gary David and Jared Dillinger as they got a chance to send the game into overtime with 6.1 seconds left but could not get a three-pointer to fall in the dying seconds. Purefoods led at the break, 40-33, behind the play of Simon and Barroca, who both scored in double figures in the first half. But Meralco made short work of that lead in the third quarter. David hit back-to-back three-pointers to open the period as the Bolts scored the first 10 points. Yap nailed a long two to end a three-minute drought for the Hotshots, but point guard Anjo Caram scored four consecutive points to give Meralco a five-point lead, 47-42. Purefoods managed to come back and tie the game at 51-apiece but Meralco mounted another run, scoring eight of the last nine points of the third quarter to lead by seven, 59-52. The Bolts outscored the Hotshots, 26-12, in the third with the Meralco running game responsible for eight points. David led all scorers with 20 points. The scores: PUREFOODS (77) — Simon 18, Barroca 16, Taha 14, Yap 11, Devance 7, Pingris 4, Maliksi 4, Mallari 3, Melton 0, Reavis 0. MERALCO (74) — David 20, Dillinger 12, Hodge 9, Macapagal 9, Caram 8, Hugnatan 4, Atkins 3, Cortez 2, Ferriols 2, Buenafe 2, Sena 2, Guevarra 0. Quarterscores: 18-16, 40-33, 52-59, 77-74.
Posted on: Mon, 24 Nov 2014 10:35:00 +0000
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