The Meralco Bolts are out to force a deciding match against Rain or Shine in the PBA Season 50 Philippine Cup quarterfinals.
CJ Cansino and the Meralco Bolts enter the PBA Season 50 Philippine Cup quarterfinals as underdogs as they take on the Rain or Shine Elasto Painters on Saturday, Dec. 27.
The match kicks off at 5:15 p.m. at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
Slotted as the seventh seed, Meralco must beat Rain or Shine twice to advance.
But the Bolts are a far different team from the one that lost a heartbreaker to the Elasto Painters in the eliminations.
Since then, Meralco surged late behind CJ Cansino, winning three of its last four games, with the sophomore standout earning three straight Player of the Game honors during that stretch.
Although their momentum was slowed by a loss to San Miguel in their final elimination-round outing, the Bolts believe their improved form gives them a fighting chance against a Rain or Shine squad that has consistently lived on comebacks and close finishes.
(With reports from Jan Ballesteros)
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[Editor’s note: This article was written by a member of One Sports Digital with the help of AI and reviewed by editorial staff for accuracy.]