MANILA, Philippines – Despite having a small roster and less preparation, the Meralco Bolts had an incredible debut in the current PBA season.

At the PBA Season 49 launch game on Sunday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum, Chris Banchero scored a game-winning four-point shot in the second quarter, while Allen Durham celebrated his PBA comeback with a crucial basket in the second half that helped the Bolts defeat the Magnolia Hotshots 99-94.

In the second half, Durham scored sixteen of his nineteen points and pulled down sixteen rebounds to secure a double-double, overwhelming a Meralco squad that was without injured stars Allein Maliksi and Raymond Almazan.

Coach Luigi Trillo praised his team, saying, “We just tried to find a way,” after just six days of practice

Trillo gave his veterans credit for a job well done in keeping Durham fresh. Durham was strong enough by the second half to win it for the Bolts.

With their title run in the previous Philippine Cup, Chris Newsome, Cliff Hodge, Bong Quinto, and Brandon Bates were ready to step up and take charge in their transition game.

Then, against a Magnolia team led by highly anticipated acquisition Glenn Robinson III, rookie shooter Jolo Mendoza went 3-of-3 from the field to help the Bolts win.

The former NBA Slam Dunk King scored a game-high 29 points and grabbed 11 rebounds, but his strong play was in vain as he missed a four-point attempt in the final seconds with the Hotshots behind 94-97.

With 2.6 seconds remaining, Durham grabbed the rebound and made two free throws to secure the victory.

In his reflections on the dynamics and performance of his team, Allen Durham was upbeat about their prospects for growth as the conference went on. The seasoned athlete accepted that aging was having an impact on his own talents, but he also stressed how important his teammates were in helping him and making him more productive on the court.

Durham’s admission, “I’m not getting younger,” shows that he is conscious of the physical difficulties that come with aging in the NBA. But instead of focusing on such drawbacks, he instantly emphasized the team’s collaborative attitude.

Durham emphasized the value of team cohesiveness and solidarity among teammates by stating that his teammates “were there.” This shows that the players have a strong feeling of trust and camaraderie, which can be crucial to a team’s success.

The expression “we stood together” serves to emphasize the concept of cooperation and solidarity even further. It suggests that the group overcame obstacles by putting up a united front, delegating tasks, and encouraging one another when things became tough.

Hodge contributed 12 points and nine rebounds, while Banchero finished with 14. Newsome and Mendoza each ended up with 13 points.

Allen Durham Player Stat Insights

In the 2015–16 NBA G League season, Allen Durham was a member of the Texas Legends. He made his debut in seven of the twenty-four games played. Durham played 23.5 minutes a night on average and had effective shooting percentages of 55.2% from the field, 44.4% from three-point range, and 68.3% from free throw range. His per-game statistics of 3.7 rebounds, 1.0 assists, 0.5 steals, and 0.8 blocks demonstrated his all-around talents. Durham averaged 8.8 points per game in scoring. He only participated in just one season in the development league, therefore his numbers reflect his whole G League career.

Is there any improvement? From the previous stats, one can see that more can be expected from the Durham, more to watch out for,

Scores at the end of the match

MERALCO with 99 points for the win

Individual scores: Durham 20, Bancheroo 14, Newsome 13, Mendoza 13, Hodge 12, Quinto 9, Black 6, Rios 3, Pasaol 3, Cansino 2, Bates 2, Pascual 2, Caram 0, Torres 0

MAGNOLIA with 94 points

Individual scores: Robinson 29, Sangalang 17, Lee 14, Barroca 9, Lucero 7, Ahanmisi 6, Delka Rosa 5, Laput 4, Mendoza 3, Abueva 0, Dionisio 0, Escoto 0.

Scores per quarter

16, 12, 43-39, 74-63, 99-94