MERALCO AVOIDS 0-3

Ginebra import Justin Brownlee splits the Meralco defense in Game 3 of the PBA Governors’ Cup Finals at the Araneta Coliseum.

With perimeter shots falling, Bolts crush Ginebra in Game 3 of PBA Govs’ Cup Finals

Meralco held it together for a change and made the best-of-seven series for the PBA Governors’ Cup championship close again with a 94-81 Game 3 victory over Barangay Ginebra on Wednesday night as the plot thickened when both coaches failed to shake hands afterwards.

Allen Durham did practically everything in the endgame for the Bolts, finishing with 38 points, 20 rebounds, four assists and five blocks, and Reynel Hugnatan stepped up at a time he was needed most as Meralco pulled away down the stretch to chop down the Gin Kings’ once-imposing lead to 2-1 for the confidence boost it needs going into Friday’s Game 4.

And as if the top-notch action on the Smart Araneta Coliseum floor wasn’t enough, color developed between coaches Norman Black and Tim Cone when the Ginebra mentor refused to shake Black’s hand after the game, obviously in protest to a timeout Black called with 38 seconds left and the outcome already beyond doubt.

It could be the additional fuel added to the fire for both teams, as Black, when asked to talk about the incident, said: “We all know that he is the all-time leader in (championship) wins and I have never in my life told him how to coach his team. All of a sudden he is telling me how to coach mine,” Black said.

The Bolts pounded out the victory despite losing Ranidel de Ocampo early to a calf injury.

Hugnatan, after averaging just over six minutes in the first two games of the series, took over when De Ocampo limped out and made 7-for-12 from three-point range to finish with 22 points.

“Game becomes a lot easier if we make shots,” Black said. “And Reynel did a good job spacing the floor for AD (Durham) by making a lot of three-pointers for us.”