The Meralco Bolts look for a second stunner against Rain or Shine in their knockout showdown to end the PBA Philippine Cup quarterfinals.
Chris Newsome, CJ Cansino, and the Meralco Bolts aim to complete a stunning turnaround and punch a semifinals ticket when they face the Rain or Shine Elasto Painters in a winner-take-all quarterfinal clash in the PBA Season 50 Philippine Cup.
The final game day of the PBA this year is set for Monday, 7:30 p.m., at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
The Bolts already flipped the script once after negating Rain or Shine’s twice-to-beat advantage with a convincing 96–79 victory last Dec. 27, forcing this decisive showdown.
In that statement win, Meralco showcased its depth and balance, placing five players in double figures to outwork and outpace the second-seeded Elasto Painters.
Newsome, Cansino, and Cliff Hodge led the charge with 14 points apiece, setting the tone on both ends of the floor, while Jansen Rios and Aaron Black chipped in 12 points each to keep the pressure on throughout.
Now carrying momentum into the decider, Meralco looks to sustain that same energy as it eyes a spot in the PBA semifinals, where TNT awaits the survivor.
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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.]