Defensive ace Cliff Hodge brought his A-game when Meralco faced Jeremy Lin and the New Taipei Kings in the East Asia Super League Home and Away Season.
Hodge said he was impressed with the quickness and versatility of the 35-year-old Lin, who fired 23 points and 10 rebounds while leading the Kings to a second-half breakaway en route to an 89-77 victory over the Bolts at the Philsports Arena in Pasig City late Wednesday.
It was Lin’s first game in the country in a decade and he made it more memorable by leading an 11-0 salvo that turned a close match into a rout.
“He probably ranks as among the top players I played against,” Hodge, a two-time PBA All-Defensive Team member, told Daily Tribune.
“We tried to use different defensive schemes against him but he was so intelligent. He knows when to attack and when to get his teammates involved.”
On the same note, Lin was also impressed with the kind of physicality of Hodge’s defense.
“It’s physical,” said Lin, who was used to bigger, more physical and more aggressive defenders during his playing career in the NBA.
“Cliff Hodge is a great example. He is a four-man position but he is 6-foot-4. He is physical, smart, and does his job really, really well. He plays hard.”
Hodge admitted that containing Lin wasn’t easy.
“He is a great player. We look forward to playing great players and seeing them man-to-man, mano a mano,” the Filipino-American forward said.
“He is an NBA-caliber player. I just have to go out there and try to play as hard as I can and play good defense. I felt like that’s what we tried today.”
The Bolts lost for the second time at home and are now in a must-win situation against the Seoul SK Knights bannered by former Gilas Pilipinas stalwart Juan Gomez de Liaño on 7 February at the Jamsil Student’s Gymnasium in South Korea.
Zach Lofton finished with 20 points and five rebounds to lead the Meralco attack.
The explosive guard, who also reinforces the Bolts in the ongoing Commissioner’s Cup, is expected to hand over his spot to new import Shonn Miller, who came in a few days ago and play in Meralco’s remaining games in the PBA.
Miller, who just won a championship playing in the Mexican League, will be the third reinforcement of Meralco in the PBA after Sumaliman Braimoh and Lofton.
Although he’s not as big as Braihmoh, Miller’s athleticism and defensive prowess coupled by a solid offensive game, will be much needed by Meralco when it makes its last push for a possible top four berth that bears a twice-to-beat advantage.
Listed 6-foot-7, Miller is likely to play for the Bolts in their first game of the year — an out-of-town game in Iloilo where they face tournament leader Magnolia.
After Magnolia, Meralco plays an equally tough Phoenix Super LPG on 10 January and Terrafirma on 12 January at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
