Photo credit: PBA

The Meralco Bolts made sure to protect home court in style as they handed Macau Black Bears a rough introduction to the EASL Season 2, securing a 97-85 win Wednesday night at the Mall of Asia Arena.

Chris Newsome led the way with 18 points and six assists, while import Allen Durham dominated inside with a solid double-double of 17 points and 11 rebounds. The victory was particularly sweet for Meralco as it leveled things out for the home teams after San Miguel's earlier defeat against Suwon KT Sonicboom of the Korean Basketball League, 87-81.

Another debut to watch out for was DJ Kennedy, who made an immediate impact as the Bolts' second import. He flirted with a triple-double, scoring 17 points, grabbing nine rebounds, and dishing out eight assists. Chris Banchero also delivered in double digits, contributing 14 points.

Naturalized player Ange Kouame, fresh off recovering from an injury, chipped in with nine points and nine rebounds, providing crucial support for Meralco, which led by as many as 19 points at one point in the game.

"It’s nice to win our first game here at home. We played with a lot of pride, although we didn’t play our best game," said Meralco head coach Luigi Trillo. "At least we got one on our home turf."

This win is particularly significant for the Bolts, who had a disappointing 1-5 record last season in their EASL debut and failed to secure a single win at home. Wednesday night’s victory sets a promising tone for the team in this year’s Home and Away tournament.

As for the Black Bears, one of the two new teams in the EASL Season 2 alongside Hong Kong Eastern, they put up a good fight despite being together for only a couple of weeks. Big man Will Artino showcased his versatility with 23 points and 14 rebounds, while his frontcourt partner Jeantal Cylla matched him with 23 points and seven boards. Damian Chongqui, who helped the team finish as runner-up in The Asian Tournament Grand Finals, chipped in 21 points.