Chippy: thoughts on Bolts' 89-86 win over Llamados

My apologies for the late entry, but this hard-earned victory for the Meralco Bolts showed that this team is starting to build a character far different from what was originally envisioned (which I believe is for this team to be Chris Tiu's once he decides to enter the PBA and be its new marketing gem. Requiring it to be as clean cut as possible, thus all the charity work).


Granted, Mark "don't call me Mac" Cardona still carries that old douchey smirk of his, and adding volatile Sol Mercado doesn't really help pacify things, but the win over the Bolts showed that this team could play with intensity and drive.

Cardona played what to him would be an efficient game, dribbling less from the outside and waiting for entry passes within the three point line where he has always been comfortable. Mercado is now the team's "super sub" switching from point to shooting guard whenever MB coach Ryan Gregorio feels like it. And Chris Ross is the team's catalyst be it on offense (where he is still too fast for his own good) and defense (which could very well be his new calling card, think the half-black Paul Artadi with crazy hair).

And while the Bolts had trouble protecting the paint from the inside forays of a returning Kerby Raymundo and the ever energetic Marc Pingris, their guards carried much of the load for them all game long. Asi Taulava also showed some muscle, reminding everyone that yes, he once dominated the league and is not Bonel Balingit's (who was on Willing Willie last night) dyed-hair younger brother.

For the Llamados' they did everything they could to win the game and even had a 10 point lead before gaskets blew (caused by Chris Ross' aggressive on-the-ball defense) with Nino Canaleta and Roger Yap-- who were carrying the load for their team at the time, at the forefront. Once cooler heads intervened, the Llamados were looking for someone to take over (this is where James Yap's value comes in play) while the Bolts put everything on their high scoring import Champ Oguchi (who delivered the knockout three pointer for the win).

If the Bolts continue to play with this intensity and swagger, I look forward to them contending in the next conference (not now anyway) and could really just be a post player or two away from hanging with the big guns of the PBA on a consistent basis.