MERALCO crashed out of the Basketball Champions League Asia after absorbing a 78-83 loss to Ulaanbaatar Xac Broncos in Wednesday’s quarterfinals at the Coca-Cola Arena in Dubai.
The Bolts started the duel with a lot of promise, leading by as many as 13 in the first period, but they lost steam as the Broncos turned it around with a 41-30 salvo in the middle quarters.
The reigning PBA Philippine Cup champs launched a final attempt for the semis ticket on the line but their late fightback fizzled out, allowing the Broncos to advance against Japan kingpin Utsunomiya Brex, 94-93 double-overtime winner over Tabiat in the other Last-8 tiff.
“We started well and then we disappeared for a couple of quarters,” rued Meralco active consultant Nenad Vucinic, whose team trailed by 11 after losing the early upperhand.
“We managed to come back towards the end of the game, had a chance to win, but probably overall, we deserved to lose that game,” added Vucinic, whose charges rallied to within 80-78 but were undone by missed three-pointers in the last 48 seconds.
Jordon Vardano dished out 23 points and 14 rebounds for Meralco while Glynn Watson shot 22 with seven assists and Bong Quinto, with 12, carried the load for the locals amid Chris Newsome’s foul-riddled and scoreless stint.
The Bolts, who made it to the KO quarters after capping Group A action with a 97-86 win over Japan champ Utsunomiya Brex following their opening 87-101 defeat to Shabab Al Ahli, will now shift their focus to the PBA All-Filipino playoffs.
The scores
Broncos 83 – Miller 32, Erdene 13, Altangerel 10, Tolbert 10, Tshimanga 7, Enkhbaatar 5, Sandagdorj 4, Chuluunbaatar 2, Otgonbaatar 0, Davaadorj 0, Elbeg 0.
Meralco 78 – Varnado 23, Watson 22, Quinto 12, Egbunu 10, Cansino 6, Banchero 2, Hodge 2, Almazan 1, Newsome 0, Black 0.
Quarterscores: 20-27; 40-42; 61-57; 83-78. — Olmin Leyba
