Meralco coach Luigi Trillo is hoping that sweeping three games in five days would serve as a positive sign as the Bolts now focus on their debut in the East Asia Super League.
The Bolts handed the Magnolia Hotshots their first defeat of the PBA Philippine Cup with a 78-76 thriller in Rodriguez, Rizal on Sunday to survive what the league’s website described as ‘Hell Week.’
Before the Magnolia triumph, Meralco defeated Blackwater and Barangay Ginebra at Smart Araneta Coliseum.
‘This might be a good omen going to Okinawa,’ Trillo said as the Bolts fly to Japan on Monday for their away match against the B.League’s Ryukyu Golden Kings two nights later.
It will be Meralco’s third consecutive EASL appearance, but with some reinforcements in Rondae Hollis-Jefferson, Justin Brownlee, Ismael Romero, naturalized player Ange Kouame and Iranian guard Sina Vahedi.
They’ll hope to get support from Meralco’s locals in Chris Newome, CJ Cansino and Brandon Bates, who were all crucial in the three wins on the domestic side.
Newsome earned two Player of the Game honors in defeating the Bossing and rivals Gin Kings, while Cansino was huge for the Bolts with career-highs of 22 points and four blocks to beat the Hotshots.
Bates, meanwhile, registered 14 rebounds against Ginebra and 15 against Magnolia.
‘(Meralco active consultant Nenad Vucinic} was kinda worried because we’re at 0-2 and playing against Blackwater, Ginebra and Magnolia,’ Trillo said. ‘But this [streak] is a testament to the team’s character.’
At 3-2, Meralco moved to third place, trailing only Magnolia and TNT with identical 2-1 records for joint lead in the standings.