It's just the first game of the new conference, but Baser Amer already made a bold statement.
Amer scored the last two of his 23 points with 58 seconds remaining to lift Meralco to a hard-fought 109-106 squeaker over Columbian Dyip in the opening game of the 2018 Philippine Basketball Association Governors’ Cup at the Ynares Center in Antipolo City last night.
Knowing his team needed a basket, Amer converted the go-ahead lay-up with 58 ticks left that gave the Bolts a vital 108-106 edge.
After the Dyip missed on the other end, it was forced to foul reigning Best Import Allen Durham, who split his charities with two seconds remaining to make it 109-106, leaving the door open for Columbian to force overtime with the ball in hand.
However, Roider Cabrera missed a potential-tying three-pointer, allowing Meralco to notch its first victory right away.
Durham, who is now in his third straight tour of duty for the Bolts, was his usual dominant self, scoring team-highs of 26 points and 20 rebounds, helping Amer, who added eight rebounds and six assists to his stat line.
With over three minutes to go, the Bolts looked poised to have an easier finish after taking a 106-100 advantage.
Still fighting, the stubborn Dyip scored six unanswered points as Glenn Khobuntin’s lay-up with 1:15 remaining tied it at 106-all, setting up Amer’s heroics in the final minute.
Four more Meralco cagers scored in twin-digits, with Mike Tolomia scoring 14 off the bench, Cliff Hodge 11 and Ranidel De Ocampo and Anjo Caram with 10 each, both as reserves as well.
The Bolts exploded for 42 points in the third quarter after finding their offense.
Meralco converted its 10-point halftime deficit into a key 85-76 lead entering the fourth quarter after outscoring Columbian by 19 in the third.
The Dyip, though, answered with a 12-2 run to start the payoff period to regain the lead, 88-87, temporarily.
Still, it was Amer and the Bolts who came out on top in crunch time, ruining Johnedel Cardel’s head coaching debut for the Dyip.