By Jonas Terrado

Meralco overcame a 16-point second quarter deficit to stun defending champion Magnolia, 98-92, Saturday night in the PBA Governors’ Cup at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

Meralco’s Chris Newsome and Magnolia’s Ian Sangalang fight for the ball during their PBA Governors’ Cup match at the Smart Araneta Coliseum. (Rio Deluvio)

Chris Newsome scored 22 points, import Allen Durham had 21 points, 14 rebounds and eight assists while Raymond Almazan delivered 19 points and 13 rebounds to lead the Bolts to victory despite trailing 49-33 in the second quarter.

The Bolts scored the final 12 points after the Hotshots took a 92-86 lead on Ian Sangalang’s floater with under five minutes to go in the fourth.

Newsome and Durham hit back-to-back threes to tie the game before Almazan knocked down the go-ahead triple, putting Meralco ahead 95-92 with 2:27 to go.

Magnolia, on the other hand, missed its final six shots while turning the ball over twice, with Almazan blocking Mark Barroca’s layup try in the dying seconds.

“It’s a good start for us this conference,” said Meralco coach Norman Black. “I think our defense kicked in the fourth and we were able to slow them down and make some stops.”

Import Romeo Travis had 22 points, nine rebounds, four assists, two steals and three blocks but the Hotshots failed to start off their title-retention bid on a winning note.

Paul Lee, back after representing Gilas Pilipinas in the FIBA World Cup, posted 20 points.

The scores:

MERALCO 98 — Newsome 22, Durham 11; Almazan 19, Pinto 9, Faundo 8, Amer 7, Salva 4, Quinto 3, Hugnatan 3, Caram 2.

MAGNOLIA 92 — Travis 22, Lee 20, Barroca 18, Simon 12, Sangalang 11, Pingris 4, Melton 3, Jalalon 2, Reavis 0, Dela Rosa 0.

Quarters: 27-30; 48-57; 73-75; 98-92.

Tags: 2019 PBA Governors' Cup , Magnolia Hotshots Pambansang Manok , Meralco Bolts