The Terrafirma Dyip is scheduled for a head-to-head game against the Barangay Ginebra San Miguel Gin Kings at 6:45 PM on November 9, 2020, live from the AUF Sports Arena and Cultural Center in Angeles City, Pampanga.
The hard-fighting cellar-dweller Terrafirma was quashed once again, this time, by a buzzer-beater by Meralco Bolts’ current ace player, Chris Newsome.
Newsome again delivered in the clutch, hitting a fadeaway jumper at the buzzer as the Bolts pull off a thrilling 95-93 win on Sunday.
With the score tied at 93 with seven seconds left, Newsome received the ball from Baser Amer from top of the key and then made his move against CJ Perez, driving strong to the hoop before popping up for that dagger jumper that broke the hearts of the Dyip.
Newsome’s endgame heroic denied the also-ran Dyip from pulling off a major upset and kept the Bolts in contention of clinching a Top 4 berth in the playoffs.
Terrafirma came up with a huge defensive play when Perez blocked Newsome’s shot on the ensuing play, but Tiongson missed a jumper that allowed Bolts to map out one final play in regulation.
Perez, along with Juami Tiongson, scored 21 points in the gallant stand by the also-ran Dyip, who absorbed their eighth loss in nine outings but nonetheless earned the respect of Meralco head coach Norman Black.
Meanwhile, Ginebra was quashed by San Miguel Beermen Sunday, 81-66.
The legs were simply not there for Ginebra this time around as it saw its two-game winning run cut short and their slate now down to 7-3 in a tie with former victim TNT Tropang Giga. Howbeit, the Kings, could still secure the honor of being eliminations topnotcher should they prevail over Terrafirma later.
Scottie Thompson, who scored 12 points and 10 rebounds, led the Kings’ 17-0 barrage to close the gap, 56-53, but the Beermen responded with six straight points, and Ginebra never threatened again.
Japeth Aguilar finished with 13 points, while LA Tenorio was scoreless after missing all seven shots. Stanley Pringle was held to just seven points.
Heading to this match, Terrafirma has nothing to lose, having been long eliminated from the race for the last eight and currently stuck in the cellar with a 1-8 slate. But a team with nothing to lose could be dangerous. But can they spoil the Gin Kings later? Only time will tell.