Baser Amer is back in his element.
Amer scored the game’s last six points in the final minute to tow the Meralco Bolts to a 108-105 come-from-behind win over the NLEX Road Warriors to snap their six-game losing streak in the 2018 Philippine Basketball Association Governors’ Cup at the Smart Araneta Coliseum in Quezon City.
The talented spitfire took charge in the fourth to lead the Bolts’ brilliant rally, scoring 17 of his 22 points in the last 12 minutes of the game.
None were bigger than his six points in the final minute that completed Meralco’s furious comeback.
Amer knocked down the go-ahead triple from the left elbow with 13.6 seconds left to give the Bolts a 108-105 lead as the deadlock was broken.
“Coach Norman (Black) told me to take it if I’m open" said Amer of his big shot.
That proved to be the dagger as Juami Tiongson’s last bid to send the game to overtime went astray after getting swatted away by Allen Durham.
That capped Durham’s amazing night as he scored 30 of his 36 points in the second half to keep Meralco afloat while adding 18 rebounds and seven assists for a near triple-double.
Meralco trailed for most part of the game and was down big, 82-66, in the early part of the fourth.
But with Amer and Durham keeping them in the game, the Bolts were able to rally back and eventually steal the win.
Meralco improved its record to 2-6 to move to 10th and keep its chance of making the top eight while NLEX fell to 4-5 after losing its third straight game.
Amer was also responsible for tying the game after a completed three-point play with 46.2 ticks left that evened the count at 105-all. NLEX import Aaron Fuller finished with 31 points and 13 rebounds for his own double-double.
The scores:
Meralco Bolts 108 – Durham 36, Amer 22, Newsome 14, Hugnatan 12, Hodge 10, Caram 8, Lanete 2, Salva 2, Jamito 2, Faundo 0, Atkins 0, Tolomia 0.
NLEX Road Warriors 105 – Fuller 31, Fonacier 21, Quinahan 17, Ighalo 9, Galanza 6, Tallo 5, Marcelo 4, Taulava 3, Rios 3, Soyud 2, Baguio 2, Paniamogan 2, Tiongson 0, Monfort 0.
Quarter scores: 13-17, 36-39, 66-80, 108-105