MAKING a similar run from last season when it finished runner-up to eventual champion Barangay Ginebra San Miguel, the Meralco Bolts have won five of their six games to give themselves another solid push to make the playoffs.
They are currently in second place and appeared in great position, but for head coach Norman Black, he still has some concerns with his squad despite the good standing in the season-ending conference.
That’s because the Bolts, known as the no. 1 defensive team, had given up more than a 100 points in their last two games. They lost for the first time this conference against the NLEX Road Warriors and got the breaks they needed in outlasting the Phoenix Fuel Masters a few days ago.
At 5-1, the Bolts need just one more win to make it to the next round, but Mr. Black is still concern on his team’s defensive plays, particularly in the absence of Cliff Hodge, who suffered a severe ankle sprain and missed the team’s last two games.
Mr. Hodge was on walking boot and Mr. Black could only hope his best defensive player could make it in time for the playoffs.
“We didn’t have Cliff Hodge. He’s our best defender. But that’s part of it. We’re trying our best to rest the guys in our team. We can do more a lot defensively if he’s there. We were trying to do the best we could with what we have,” said Mr. Black.
Not only did Meralco will lose Mr. Hodge, the team will also play without Baser Amer and Mike Tolomia, whom the team had loaned to the national team for the Southeast Asian Games.
“Well, it’s for the country. So, you just have to deal with it. A lot of teams are sacrificing for the good of the national team and for the good of the country. We’re very proud to have two players in the national team — Amer and Tolomia. It hurt us in our game against Phoenix, but we’re not the only team sacrificing for the good of the country,” said Mr. Black.
This also means that Meralco will lose two point guards for the national team, but Mr. Black has no plans of getting an extra body who could quarterback the squad.
“We won’t get anybody for one game,” said Mr. Black. — Rey Joble
