Seoul SK Knights nip Meralco Bolts in EASL action

c/o East Asia Super League (EASL)

Seoul SK Knights nipped the Meralco Bolts in their East Asia Super League matchup Wednesday night at the Philsports Arena, 81-80.

Trailing 74-62 with just over seven minutes left in the fourth quarter, the PBA side managed to whittle that down to 77-70 to force a timeout for the KBL opposition with just over 3.5 minutes remaining.

The Knights managed to raise the lead back up to nine at 81-72, but that would be their final points as they were unable to put up additional points.

Zach Lofton sliced that deficit to six with a triple with 134 seconds remaining, then Meralco forces a turnover off Jameel Warney that led to a Knight fouling Chris Newsome while taking a three almost twenty seconds later.

Newsome would nail all three free throws to make it a one-possession game at 81-78.

Lofton would make it 81-80 thanks to a layup with 42.5 seconds remaining.

The Bolts would have a chance to win the game, but Chris Banchero could not complete a pass to Prince Ibeh down low, rendering the hosts unable to get off an attempt in the sequence.

Lofton would finish with a game-high 32 points, seven rebounds, and a couple of assists. 22 of those points came in the second half, keeping the squad afloat.

Fellow reinforcement Ibeh chipped in a double-double with thirteen points and eleven rebounds, as well as four blocks. Like Lofton, Prince also kept the team alive with his eleven second-half points.

Newsome was the lone local in double figures with thirteen points. while also grabbing five boards, dishing six dimes, and netting four steals.

Warney proved his worth as one of the best reinforcements in Asia with 31 points, while also padding the stat sheet with seven rebounds, six assists, a couple of steals, and a block. He proved to be especially effective in the second quarter for the Knights, as he almost matched Meralco's point total in the period with eleven points.

Seoul got some additional offensive oomph with nineteen points from Youngjun An, anchored on five triples.

In what was billed as his homecoming, Juan Gomez de Liano played almost 4.5 minutes, all of which came in the second quarter to close out the period. He finished with four points, converting a triple and splitting his two charities, while also dishing an assist.