MERALCO is looking at total team effort as key to its campaign in the Philippine Basketball Association Philippine Cup, third-year Bolts point guard Aaron Black said.
Black praised his teammates for their 109-98 come-from-behind victory over Phoenix Super LPG, especially veteran center Reynel Hugnatan who was instrumental in the game played over the weekend at the Ynares Sports Centre in Antipolo City.
That was the Bolts’ first victory in Season 47.
“It’s a total team effort where different Meralco players are stepping up each game. We struggled but we played our best until the endgame,” Black told BusinessMirror on Sunday. “Big brother Reynel [Hugnatan] really helped us a lot against Phoenix.”
Black, son of former import and now Meralco coach Norman, referred to Hugnatan’s three triples and his 17 points which he made in the second half where the Bolts overhauled a 61-77 lead.
“I think we have a bunch of guys who can step up and I hope we maintain that,” he said.
The former Ateneo guard scored 19 points on 7 of 14 shooting with Chris Newsome leading the Bolts with 21 points, seven rebounds and seven assists.
Norman Black said he hopes that the team sustains its drive after a heartbreaking meltdown against Barangay Ginebra San Miguel in the Governors’ Cup Finals last April.
“Our guys stayed in the game. They refused to give up,” Black said.
Allen Maliksi (15), Raymond Almazan (12) and Bong Quinto (12) also finished in double figures for Meralco.
Meralco plays newcomer Converge on Thursday also at Ynares.