Meralco’s morale remains intact even after absorbing back-to-back blows from TNT in the PBA Season 50 Philippine Cup semifinals.
Chris Newsome and the Meralco Bolts aim to keep their Finals hopes alive as they try to halt TNT Tropang 5G’s surge in Game 3 of the PBA Season 50 Philippine Cup semifinals on Friday, January 9.
Tip off is at 5:15 p.m. at Smart Araneta Coliseum.
[RELATED STORY: PBA: Chot Reyes bares TNT mentality ahead of semis Game 2 win over Meralco]
Down 0–2 in the best-of-seven series, Meralco faces a must-win scenario after absorbing a 109–92 loss in Game 2, where TNT dictated the tempo from the opening minutes.
Despite the setback, Newsome remains confident the Bolts are far from done.
Newsome led Meralco in Game 2 with 18 points, five rebounds, and four assists, while Cliff Hodge matched him with 18 points, adding seven rebounds, two assists, and two blocks.
However, Meralco will need more collective resistance—particularly on the defensive end—after struggling to contain TNT’s perimeter attack and early bursts.
With their backs against the wall, the Bolts are desperate to strike back in a series that is slowly getting out of their control.
(With reports from Jan Ballesteros)
—
[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.]