Chris Newsome and the Meralco Bolts brace for a tough series against an in-form TNT in the PBA Season 50 Philippine Cup semifinals.
Chris Newsome and the Meralco Bolts are back on the semifinal stage for the first time since their Season 48 Philippine Cup title run, and they’re eager to make the most of the moment as they face TNT Tropang 5G in Game 1 on Sunday, Jan. 4.
The match kicks off at 5:15 p.m., at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
[WATCH: PBA LIVESTREAM: Meralco vs TNT | Philippine Cup semis Game 1]
Meralco enters the series carrying belief built from a hard-earned playoff journey and a favorable 2–1 record against TNT in previous postseason meetings.
While the Bolts dropped a narrow 100–98 overtime decision to the Tropang 5G in the eliminations, that loss only reinforced how closely matched these two sides are.
In that encounter, Newsome was at his all-around best, finishing with 24 points, five rebounds, six assists, and three steals, while Cliff Hodge delivered a bruising 21-point, 10-rebound double-double.
Their two-way impact kept Meralco in the fight until the final second, and they’ll once again be central figures as the Bolts look to dictate the pace of the series.
Now back to where they believe they belong, Meralco hopes to turn experience, toughness, and balance into an early breakthrough—starting with a strong showing in Game 1 against TNT.
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Like most sportswriters, Jan Ballesteros once dreamed of becoming a professional hooper. But he learned the hard way that it’s not for everyone.
He continues to be involved in the sport he loves, but this time as a member of the PBA Press Corps. Aside from primarily covering the PBA, he is also assigned to cover Gilas Pilipinas.