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PBA: Now healthy, Cliff Hodge giving Meralco hustle, heart

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Camille B. Naredo, ABS-CBN News

<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img src="http://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2020/tvpatrol/11/24/pba.jpg"/><figcaption>Meralco forward Cliff Hodge is defended by Ginebra&#x27;s Aljon Mariano in Game 1 of their 2020 PBA Philippine Cup semis series. <em>PBA Media Bureau.</em></figcaption></figure></div><p>MANILA, Philippines -- When discussing Meralco, the conversation often centers on do-it-all swingman Chris Newsome, high-scoring guard Allein Maliksi, or steady veteran forward Reynel Hugnatan.</p><p>But quietly, Cliff Hodge has put together a fine campaign for the Bolts in the 2020 PBA Philippine Cup, where he established himself as their best defender and an efficient scorer when called upon.</p><p>In Game 4 of their semis series against Barangay Ginebra, when their season was on the line, Hodge put up 16 points on 7-of-11 shooting, along with six rebounds, three assists, and three steals in an 83-80 win.</p><p>It&#x27;s already the second time that he&#x27;s stepped up for Meralco in a do-or-die game in the playoffs. Against San Miguel Beer in the quarterfinals, Hodge made seven of nine shots for 14 points and grabbed six rebounds in a huge 90-68 victory.</p><p>One reason for Hodge&#x27;s rejuvenated play, Meralco coach Norman Black said, is his health.</p><p>&quot;This is probably the first conference in a long, long while that he&#x27;s been healthy throughout,&quot; Black said of Hodge, who played through an assortment of injuries in 2019.</p><p>&quot;He hasn&#x27;t had any injuries, knock on wood, he hasn&#x27;t had any injuries this conference, and it shows on the court,&quot; the coach added.</p><p>Hodge is impacting games on both ends of the court this conference. Black has tabbed him as their best defender, but Hodge is also shooting 60.6% from the field and averaging 9.5 points per game.</p><p>&quot;He&#x27;s shooting a high percentage for us around the basket,&quot; said Black. &quot;He becomes a threat when he can make those layups, because most of the teams don&#x27;t want to really guard him.&quot;</p><p>&quot;They use him as a way to help on defense, but he&#x27;s been making them pay,&quot; he added.</p><p>For Black, however, Hodge&#x27;s biggest contributions won&#x27;t necessarily show up on the stat sheet.</p><p>&quot;More importantly, he gives us that hustle, that heart, that we really need within the team,&quot; he said,</p><p>&quot;(There&#x27;s) a reason why he plays so many minutes. He&#x27;s always on the floor for me because he gives us a lot defensively,&quot; he also said.</p><p>Hodge will be called upon to step again on Friday, when Meralco and Ginebra meet for the last time this conference, with a spot in the All-Filipino Cup finals on the line.</p><div><strong>Related video:</strong></div><figure class="op-interactive"><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/sf7n1u9Ig_8?enablejsapi=1"></iframe></figure><div class="iwantbar">Watch more in <a href="//www.iwantv.com.ph/">iWantv</a> or <a href="//tfc.tv/">TFC.tv</a></div>

<p>Quietly, Cliff Hodge has put together a fine campaign for the Bolts in the 2020 PBA Philippine Cup, where he established himself as their best defender.</p>

Quietly, Cliff Hodge has put together a fine campaign for the Bolts in the 2020 PBA Philippine Cup, where he established himself as their best defender.

PBA: Now healthy, Cliff Hodge giving Meralco hustle, heart

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PBA: Now healthy, Cliff Hodge giving Meralco hustle, heart

Camille B. Naredo,

ABS-CBN News

Published November 26, 2020 04:29 PM PHT

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Updated November 26, 2020 04:30 PM PHT

Read More:

PBA

2020 PBA Philippine Cup

Meralco Bolts

Cliff Hodge

PBA Philippine Cup

Norman Black

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