Meralco takes first EASL win behind Asian import Sina Vahedi

November 10 ------ MERALCO found a gem in Sina Vahedi as the Asian import from Iran led the Bolts past the Taoyuan Pauian Pilots, 85-76, for their first win in the EASL Home and Away Season 3 in Ilagan, Isabela. The 24-year-old star point guard of the Iran national team finished with a team-high 22 points, seven assists, and two rebounds as the Bolts finally broke through the win column after losing their first two games on the road.

Import Ismael Romero also had 22 points and grabbed 14 rebounds in Meralco’s first game at home at the Capital Arena. It was the duo of Romero and Vahedi who presided over the hots start by the Bolts, who jumped to an 11-2 lead before sitting on a 43-30 advantage at the half. Romero also grabbed 14 rebounds and already had 12 points by halftime.

Naturalized player Ange Kouame, who replaced the ill-stricken Justine Brownlee, played his first game back with the Bolts and contributed three points and four rebounds. Import Rondae Hollis-Jefferson had 15 points, 10 rebounds, and seven assists, while Chris Newsome finished with 14 including a three-point shot that gave the Bolts their biggest lead at 64-42.

Setric Millner led the Pilots with 19 points on 4-of-8 shooting from three-point range, while Chun-Hsiang Lu had 17, and import William Artino with a double-double of 15 points and 11 rebounds. But import Alec Brown, who came big in Taoyuan's 82-72 win over Meralco in Taipei last week, was held to only nine points and seven rebounds as the Pilots went down to their first loss in three outings, but remained on top of Group B at 2-1.

The scores

Meralco (85) – Vahedi 22, Romero 22, Hollis-Jefferson 15, Newsome 14, Quinto 3, Kouame 3, Banchero 2, Almazan 2, Hodge 2.

Taoyuan (76) – Millner 19, Lu 17, Artino 15, Brown 9, Li 7, Kuan 5, Pai 2, Lin 2, Morrison 0, Dieng 0, Cheng 0.

Quarterscores: 23-14; 43-30; 66-50; 85-76.

Source: spin.ph