Clutch Kings crush Meralco’s EASL dream, march into Macau finals

A basketball player in a blue jersey attempts to drive to the basket while being guarded by two defenders in patterned jerseys during a competitive game.

The Ryukyu Golden Kings delivered another dose of heartbreak to the Meralco Bolts, pulling away late for an 88-79 victory Wednesday night at the Smart Araneta Coliseum to book their ticket to the East Asia Super League Finals in Macau.

With their backs against the wall and their playoff hopes hanging by a thread, the Bolts showed grit. Down by as much as 20 points late in the third quarter, 54-74, Meralco mounted a furious rally that electrified the home crowd. A determined drive by import Ismael Romero sliced the deficit to just five, 79-84, with 40 seconds left, igniting belief in a dramatic comeback.

But the Golden Kings, battle-tested and composed, refused to blink.

The Japanese B. League champions calmly sank four straight free throws in the closing stretch, shutting the door on Meralco’s charge and sealing their place in the EASL Finals set for March 18 to 20 in Macau. Ryukyu finished atop Group B with a commanding 5-1 record.

For Meralco, the loss stung deeply. The Bolts ended their campaign at 3-3 — their best finish in three EASL seasons — yet still fell one win short of a historic first playoff berth.

“We feel bad, but overall we’re proud of our team,” said Meralco deputy coach Luigi Trillo. “We didn’t get the result we wanted, but we’re appreciative of the crowd that turned out.”

Romero paced the Bolts with 24 points and nine rebounds, while Cady Lalanne added 18 in a late call-up role for the injured Rondae Hollis-Jefferson. Justin Brownlee struggled from the field, limited to 12 points on 3-of-13 shooting, though he contributed six assists.

Ryukyu’s shooting proved decisive. The Golden Kings torched the nets at a 50 percent clip from beyond the arc. Yoshiyuki Matsuwaki led the charge with 18 points on 6-of-9 shooting from deep, while Vic Law chipped in 15 points, and Ryo Sadohara added 13, each connecting efficiently from long range.

The Golden Kings struck early, taking a 26-16 lead after the first quarter and stretching it to 51-36 at halftime. A dominant third period widened the gap before Meralco’s late surge made the final minutes tense.

Ultimately, Ryukyu’s poise under pressure and precision from the perimeter proved too much.

For the Bolts, the dream remains deferred — but the fight, unmistakable.

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