SAVING the best for last, Meralco broke through in the Doha International Basketball Championship with a 78-50 romp over Kuwaiti club Al Arabi Saturday night in Qatar.
Allein Maliksi caught fire with 18 points on a five-of-eight clip from beyond the arc while Alvin Pasaol shot 16 to lead the Meralco Bolts to their lone win of the tournament after dropping their first four assignments.
On account of this, Luigi Trillo’s charges finished seventh overall ahead of Al Arabi in the eight-team field from seven countries.
Beirut Sports Club reigned supreme after clobbering Sagasse, 90-62, in an all-Lebanese finals.
Libya’s Al Ahly took the bronze via its 84-79 verdict over Egypt’s Al Zamalek while Faith Union Sport of Morocco grabbed fifth at the expense of Iraq’s Dijla University, 82-75.
The Bolts, who battled their Arab rivals without key players Chris Newsome, Raymond Almazan and Anjo Caram, finally found their groove in their final assignment.
Mr. Maliksi ignited and capped a 10-1 barrage late in the second to give Meralco a 45-34 cushion. Momentum on their side, the Bolts outplayed the Kuwaitis in a low-scoring third, 12-5, then delivered the 21-11 KO blow in the fourth.
The Bolts pulled through despite limited appearances by their imports, Feron Hunt, who went scoreless in seven minutes, and Uros Lukovic, who scored two in four minutes. — Olmin Leyba
The Scores:
Meralco 78 – Maliksi 18, Pasaol 16, Dario 8, Banchero 8, Hodge 7, Pascual 6, Black 5, Quinto 4, Rios 4, Lukovic 2, Hunt 0, Torres 0.
Al Arabi 50 – Al Khabbas 14, Alajmi 12, Madeed 8, Hasan 6, Al Shammari 4, Aburamya 2, Al Bhlosi 2, Al Sohoul 1, Alenezi 1, Khuraibet 0.
Quarterscores: 20-19, 45-34, 57-39, 78-50.
