The TNT Tropang 5G may be in the PBA Philippine Cup Finals already, but the Meralco Bolts—or, more specifically, CJ Cansino—sure made the Tropa work for it.
TNT looked headed for an easy Game 5 closeout as it was still ahead, 86-76, with just under six minutes left. Then, Cansino simply took over, pouring in 15 points in a fiery 20-5 run that put the Bolts ahead, 96-91, and in prime position to send the series to a Game 6.
Only the Tropa—or, more specifically, Rey Nambatac and Jordan Heading—had other plans. Nambatac fired a pull-up four-pointer to get TNT to within 96-95 before Heading stole the ball off Cansino and hit the go-ahead undergoal stab. Two Calvin Oftana stops on Cansino later on sealed the win.
Cansino Was ‘Really Impressive,’ According to Heading
It was a letdown of an ending for the super sophomore who singlehandedly brought Meralco to the precipice of a Game 6. Regardless, Heading was impressed by the effort.
“CJ was playing unbelievably confident basketball down the stretch there, which was, given the moment, really impressive with how long he’s been in this league,” Heading said about Cansino’s fantastic game. “So, I just want to give him a shout-out and give him my respect.”
The sweet-shooting Fil-Aussie even acknowledged that the young sophomore got the better of him a few times during his torrid fourth-quarter stretch.
“As a competitor, he got the better of me a couple of possessions there. And as a competitor, you take that,” said Heading, who was the primary defender when Cansino hit a booming four-pointer to nudge Meralco to within 86-80, converted a three-point play to make it 86-83, and sank a baseline jumper to give the Bolts a 90-88 advantage.
But ever the competitor, Heading got Cansino back in the endgame when he stripped the former UAAP champion clean in the backcourt to score the go-ahead basket.
Even so, as the saying goes, game recognizes game.
