ALLEIN Maliksi played the game of his life as Meralco held off Magnolia Pambansang Manok, 102-98, to stay alive in the 2021 PBA Philippine Cup semifinal series at the Don Honorio Ventura State University gym in Bacolor, Pampanga.

Maliksi erupted with a game-high 29 points, including a near-perfect 7-of-8 shooting from the three-point area to help the Bolts escape with the much-needed victory and trim the deficit to 2-3 in their best-of-seven showdown.

Maliksi struck hardest in the closing minutes, hitting three free throws and back-to-back triples in a 9-3 run that put the Bolts ahead by six, 99-93, with 1:21 left, from 90-all.

Maliksi also had three rebounds and two steals in 36 minutes of action.

Game 6 is scheduled at 6 p.m. on Friday.

Nard Pinto added 24 points and five assists, while Chris Newsome contributed 23 points, six assists and five rebounds for Meralco, which fell behind by as many as 11 points before charging back strong to steal the win.

Raymond Almazan,who missed the last two games due to a sprained ankle he suffered in Game 2, contributed nine points and 10 rebounds in 31 minutes.

Cliff Hodge added four points and nine rebounds for the Bolts, who also took Game 3, 91-86.

Mark Barroca celebrated the birth of his third baby last Monday with an all-around game of 25 points, six rebounds and four assists for Magnolia.

Calvin Abueva added 19 points, eight rebounds and six assists, while Ian Sangalang, who earned his second Cignal Play-PBA Press Corps Player of the Week honor recently, contributed another double-double of 15 points and 14 rebounds.

Veteran Paul Lee had 13 points on 4-of-10 shooting, and Jio Jalalon had 12 points on 4-of- 9 clip.

It was a sorry setback for Magnolia, whch took an 83-77 early in the payoff period behidn Barroca’s clutch shooting.

The Hotshots, however, turned ice cold from there.

Led by Maliksi and Almazan, the Bolts outscored the Hotshots, 25-15 in the final seven minutes to turn the game around

Abueva’s three-poniter and a lay-up put Magnolia to within 98-100 with still eight seconds remaining.

But Almazan nailed two pressure- packed free throws after getting fouled by Lee with seven ticks to go.

In the second game, Talk N Text humbled San Miguel Beer, 110-90, to take a 3-2 lead in their own semifinal series.

Six players, led by Jayson Castro and comebacking Kelly Williams, scored in double figures for the Tropang Giga.

The scores:

First game
Meralco (102) — Maliksi 29, Pinto 24, Newsome 23, Almazan 9, Hugnatan 6, Belo 4, Hodge 4, Quinto 3, Jackson 0, Caram 0, Pasaol 0.
Magnolia (98) — Barroca 25, Abueva 19, Sangalang 15, Lee 13, Jalalon 12, Ahanmisi 8, Reavis 6, Dela Rosa 0, Corpuz 0, Dionisio 0.
Quarterscores: 23-33, 45-47, 69-71, 102-98.

Second game
TNT (110) – Castro 19, M. Williams 18, Pogoy 18, Rosario 17, K. Williams 12, Erram 10, Reyes 6, Montalbo 5, Exciminiano 3, Marcelo 2, Khobuntin 0, Heruela 0, Alejandro 0, Javier 0, Mendoza 0.
SMB (90) – Fajardo 23, Perez 18, Santos 14, Romeo 12, Tautuaa 10, Lassiter 5, Pessumal 3, Ross 3, Cabagnot 2, Zamar 0, Gotladera 0, Comboy 0, Gamalinda 0, Sena 0.
Quarterscores: 32-17, 61-35, 81-61, 110-90.

Games Friday:

(DHVSU gym, Bacolor)

3 p.m. — Talk N Text vs. San Miguel
6 p.m. — Magnolia vs. Meralco

No. 1 Talk N Text vs. No. 4 San Miguel Beer.

Game 1 –Talk N Text 89, San Miguel 88.
Game 2 — San Miguel 98, Talk N Text 96.
Game 3 — Talk N Text 115, San Miguel 98.
Game 4 — San Miguel116, Talk N Text 90.
Game 5 — Talk N Text 110, San Miguel 90.
(Talk N Text leads series, 3-2).

No. 2 Meralco vs. No. 3 Magnolia.

Game 1 — Magnolia 88, Meralco 79.
Game 2 — Magnolia 92, Meralco 78.
Game 3 — Meralco 91, Magnolia 86.
Game 4 — Magnolia 81, Meralco 69.
Game 5 — Meralco 102, Magnolia 98.
(Magnolia leads series, 3-2)