Bolts take advantage of Bol injury, draw level in semifinal series

Meralco took control after a pivotal moment in Game 2, defeating TNT, 87-67, on Friday night to knot their best-of-seven Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) Commissioner’s Cup semifinal series at one game each.

The game’s momentum shifted late in the first quarter when TNT import Bol Bol went down with a non-contact injury while driving to the basket. Initial reports pointed to a possible Achilles injury, forcing TNT to play the rest of the game without an import and make major adjustments to its rotation.

Meralco slowly took command from there. Following a competitive opening stretch, the Bolts clamped down defensively and steadily widened the gap before pulling away decisively in the fourth quarter.

As TNT struggled to generate offense late, Meralco exploited favorable matchups down the stretch. Marvin Jones delivered a key dagger from three-point range, extending the lead to 85-76 with less than a minute remaining to seal the outcome.

Bolts head coach Luigi Trillo emphasized the need to capitalize on momentum swings, saying the team simply made the most of the opportunity after TNT was forced to play undermanned. He also noted that further adjustments would still be needed moving forward, especially with TNT’s import situation still uncertain.

Chris Newsome paced Meralco with 24 points, while Marvin Jones posted a double-double of 16 points and 13 rebounds. Javee Mocon added 16 points, and Cliff Hodge chipped in 12 points and 10 rebounds.

TNT leaned heavily on Roger Pogoy and Calvin Oftana, who scored 27 and 22 points, respectively. Before exiting early in the opening quarter, Bol Bol had already tallied 10 points and six rebounds.

Although TNT managed to stay within striking distance for stretches behind the efforts of its wing players, Meralco’s defense eventually tightened up and forced the Tropang Giga into difficult possessions late in the game.

Game 3 is scheduled for Sunday at the Mall of Asia Arena, with TNT still awaiting clarity on its import situation as it tries to recover from a major injury blow.