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TOUGH SHOT. Chris Newsome in action for the Meralco Bolts in the East Asia Super League.
East Asia Super League
Playing without import Akil Mitchell, Meralco absorbs its second straight loss and falls to fourth place in Group B of the East Asia Super League
ANTIPOLO, Philippines – Meralco’s playoff hopes in the East Asia Super League took a hit as it absorbed an 89-71 home beating at the hands of Japan’s Ryukyu Golden Kings at the PhilSports Arena on Wednesday, January 22.
Playing without import Akil Mitchell, the Bolts suffered their second straight loss and fell to fourth place in Group B with a 2-3 record.
Only the top two teams from each of the two groups will advance to the semifinals, leaving Meralco in a must-win situation against current Group B second placer New Taipei Kings in the final game of the eliminations on February 12.
Cliff Hodge put up 13 points and 7 rebounds to pace the Bolts, who fizzled out in the middle quarters after trailing by just a single point, 22-23, at the end of the opening period.
The runner-up of the previous B. League season, the Golden Kings outscored Meralco, 52-34, in the second and third quarters as they repeated over the Bolts after a narrow win in their first encounter in Ryukyu in October.
Ange Kouame also tallied 13 points with 4 rebounds, stepping up for a Meralco side that missed the usual production from its reinforcements.
With Mitchell already out, it did not help the Bolts’ cause that import DJ Kennedy got limited to just 3 points on 1-of-8 shooting in 20 minutes of play, although he added 4 assists, 3 rebounds, and 2 steals.
Chris Newsome put up 12 points and 5 assists in the loss.
Victor Law showed the way for Ryukyu with 20 points, 8 rebounds, 5 assists, and 2 steals, while Alex Kirk and Keve Aluma added 19 and 18 points, respectively.
Locals Yoshiyuki Matsuwaki and Ryuichi Kishimoto chimed in 12 points each as the Golden Kings ended the eliminations with 5-1 record and secured their place in the Final Four set to be staged in Macau from March 7 to 9.
The Scores
Ryukyu 89 – Law 20, Kirk 19, Aluma 18, Matsuwaki 12, Kishimoto 12, Onodera 6, Ito 2, Tsukamoto 0, Uematsu 0, Arakawa 0, Waki 0, Taira 0.
Meralco 71 – Hodge 13, Kouame 13, Newsome 12, Banchero 9, Bates 6, Cansino 6, Quinto 5, Kennedy 3, Rios 3, Almazan 1, Caram 0.
Quarters: 23-22, 50-41, 75-56, 89-71.
– Rappler.com
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