MERALCO fell short of notching a breakthrough win in the EASL Home and Away Season as it dropped a 97-92 loss to the New Taipei Kings at the Xinzhuang gymnasium in Taipei Wednesday night.
New import Zach Lofton erupted for 35 points spiked by six three pointers, but wasn’t enough to get the Bolts over the hump as they suffered a second straight loss for a 0-2 record at the bottom of Group B.
Prince Ibeh added 18 points and six rebounds, while Chris Newsome and Antonio Caram were the other players in double figures for the Bolts with 16 and 10, respectively.
The Bolts kept the game close for the most part and even led 66-65 entering the final quarter, but a short 8-3 run by the home team stretched a four-point lead to a 94-85 advantage with 84 seconds left to play.
Former NBA player Jeremy Lin, who led the Kings with 25 points and seven assists, initiated the telling run on the way to steering the team to a 2-0 record and remain on top of Group B.
Newsome and Lofton led a final comeback attempt, but time was simply not on the side of the Bolts.
Import Kenny Manigault had an all-around game of 19 points, 11 rebounds, and six assists, while former Bay Area Dragons stalwart Hayden Blankley added 15 points on 3-of-9 shooting from three-point range.(RG)
The scores
New Taipei Kings (97) – Jeremy Lin 25, Manigault 19, Blankley 15, Kee 8, Anigwe 8, Yang 7, Joseph Lin 6, Davis 5, Su 4, Chen 0.
Meralco (92) – Lofton 35, Ibeh 18, Newsome 16, Caram 10, Hodge 5, Banchero 4, Quinto 2, Almazan 2, Rios 0, Torres 0.
Quarterscores: 25-30; 45-48; 65-66; 97-92.