CJ Cansino put up a string of strong performances for the surging Meralco Bolts, earning him PBA Player of the Week citation in the ongoing Philippine Cup.
CJ Cansino is off to a flyer in his sophomore year in the PBA.
The Meralco shooting guard played a key role in the Bolts’ three-game, five-day swing in the second week of the 50th Season Philippine Cup.
With his performance, Cansino, who averaged 15.7 points, 4.0 rebounds, and 1.3 blocks in that stretch, was named as PBA Press Corps Player of the Week for the period October 15-19.
Cansino closed the week by notching career-highs of 23 points and four blocks in Meralco’s 78-76 win over Magnolia last Sunday at the Ynares Center-Montalban.
The Meralco second-year player also stepped up on both ends of the floor in the Bolts’ 89-75 win against Barangay Ginebra where he had 18 points and two steals last Friday, and played quality minutes by chipping in six points and four rebounds in 16 minutes during their 105-96 win over Blackwater at the start of the week.
“I’m happy na binibigyan ako ng ganitong role. Pero for me, sa sistema kasi ni coach Nenad (Vucinic, Meralco active consultant), wala ‘yung ganung role. Kung sino ‘yung mainit sa game, binibigay namin. Nasaktuhan lang na maganda ‘yung nilalaro ko sa offense nitong mga last game,” said Cansino.
Meralco coach Luigi Trillo praised Cansino for his offseason work which is paying dividends early in the conference.
“He has put in the work in the offseason. I think he has gotten 12 pounds of muscle. More than anything, you see the stats and the scoring but to me, nakakataba ng puso kay CJ because he is playing defense. Last conference, we had to go through those times that they were attacking him. This time, he is holding the fort,” said Trillo.
Cansino won over teammate Chris Newsome, and the San Miguel duo of Marcio Lassiter and Cjay Perez for the plum handed by scribes from major broadsheets, tabloids, and online publications covering the PBA beat.