Meralco bows to SK Knights in final EASL game

Meralco guard Anjo Caram tries to drive past two Korean defenders in their EASL game. Handout/EASL.

The Meralco Bolts wrapped up their campaign in the East Asia Super League (EASL) with a 72-62 loss to the Seoul SK Knights, Wednesday night at the Jamsil Students' Gymnasium in Seoul.

The Bolts were playing without seven of their key players, including Chris Newsome. Yet they gave the host team a good fight until the final quarter, when they were outscored 23-14 by the Knights.

Seoul secured its fourth win in six games to force a tie at the top of Group B with the New Taipei Kings, heading into the Final 4 in Cebu City.

Leon Williams put up 25 points, 19 rebounds, and three steals to lead the way for the Knights. Ilyoung Heo knocked down four of his seven three-point attempts to finish with 19 points. 

Import Shonn Miller had 23 points and eight boards in a losing effort for the Bolts. Alvin Pasaol finished with 14 points as the best local scorer for Meralco, who also didn’t suit up Allein Maliksi, Bong Quinto, Raymond Almazan, Chris Banchero, Aaron Black and Cliff Hodge.

New import Alioune Tew had 10 points and grabbed 21 rebounds as the Bolts finished their campaign with a 1-5 record.

The scores:

Seoul SK Knights (72) – Williams 25, Heo 23, Changyong 8, Oh 7, Choi 4, Kim 3, Yaung 2, Park 0, Moon 0, S. Oh 0, B. Choi 0, Seonghwan 0.

Meralco (62) – Miller 23, Pasaol 14, Tew 10, Caram 10, Rios 3, Dario 2, Jose 0, Bates 0, Jackson 0, Torres 0, Pascual 0.

Quarterscores: 14-13; 32-30; 49-48; 72-62.

READ: Rhenz Abando relishes brief PH return, provides update on back injury

RELATED VIDEO: