Meralco is looking for a new lease on life in the PBA Season 50 Philippine Cup semifinals against TNT. The Bolts trails the Tropang 5G, 1-3, entering Game 5.
With their conference on the line, the Meralco Bolts face a must-win scenario when they clash with TNT Tropang 5G in Game 5 of the PBA Season 50 Philippine Cup semifinals on Wednesday, Jan. 14,
The match kicks off at 5:15pm at the Smart Araneta Coliseum in Cubao.
[WATCH: PBA LIVESTREAM: TNT vs Meralco | Philippine Cup semis Game 5]
Down 3–1 in the series, Meralco must summon urgency and resolve to stay alive and force a Game 6.
The Bolts struggled to contain TNT in Game 4, absorbing a lopsided 102–83 defeat.
Chris Banchero once again carried the scoring load, leading all Meralco players with 19 points, but his efforts were not enough to spark a comeback.
Cliff Hodge and CJ Cansino chipped in 17 points apiece, providing support, yet the Bolts could not match TNT’s firepower, particularly in the paint.
Compounding Meralco’s challenge is the highly likely absence of Chris Newsome, who is expected to miss Game 5 after suffering an MCL sprain late in Game 3.
His two-way impact and leadership will be sorely missed, placing even greater pressure on the remaining core to step up.
Despite the odds, Meralco is expected to come out with desperation befitting a do-or-die contest.
For Meralco, Game 5 is about survival as a win keeps its Finals hopes alive.
(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.]