The Meralco Bolts snapped Barangay Ginebra San Miguel’s five-game winning run with a 112-91 dismantling on Friday at a packed Smart Araneta Coliseum. The win improved Meralco’s record in the PBA Commissioner’s Cup to 6-3, good enough for the fourth seed if the quarters started now. The loss dropped Ginebra to 7-3, a full game behind league leaders NLEX Road Warriors and Rain or Shine Elasto Painters.
What Happened?
Ginebra got off to a sizzling start, making six of its first seven 3-pointers. But Meralco didn’t back down, making five early triples, too, to win the opening frame 31-27. The Bolts then started the second quarter on an 11-2 run to take a 42-29 advantage, before extending it to 60-40 heading into intermission.
RJ Abarrientos began the second half with a seven-point cluster to help Ginebra close the gap to 62-49 early in the third. But the Bolts responded with a 9-1 spurt to reestablish a 71-50 cushion, which they extended to 84-59 at the 2:21 mark. Meralco never looked back from that point on as it cruised in the fourth quarter to complete the thorough dismantling.
Who Stood Out?
Meralco showcased balance, with seven players scoring in double figures. CJ Cansino led with 18 points on 7-for-9 shooting, while Chris Newsome added 12 on a 5-for-8 clip. Jason Brickman orchestrated the offense with 10 points and 6 assists.
Ginebra leaned heavily on Justin Brownlee and RJ Abarrientos. Abarrientos finished with a game-high 24 points on 9-for-14 shooting, while Brownlee tallied 23 points, 5 rebounds, and 6 assists but struggled at 9-for-24 from the field.
3 Keys to the Game
- Defense. While the Bolts put up 112 points, it was their defense that turned the game. This was particularly true in the second quarter, where Meralco’s physical, in-your-face defense limited Ginebra to a measly 13 points as Brownlee and company bricked one shot after the other.
- Execution. On offense, Meralco executed beautifully, moving the ball around and finding the open man possession after possession. The Bolts’ 27 assists as compared to Ginebra’s 14 spoke volumes about their top-notch execution—and the barangay’s terrible, step-slow defense.
- Interior scoring. Thanks mainly to their fantastic ball and player movement, Meralco got to the paint numerous times and scored on uncontested lay-ins. This resulted in a 46-24 advantage for the Bolts in points in the paint.
Next Up for the PBA
Saturday, May 2, 2026 | Ninoy Aquino Stadium
Terrafirma Dyip vs. Macau Black Knights (5:15 p.m.)
NLEX Road Warriors vs. Converge FiberXers (7:30 p.m.)
