The Meralco Bolts thrashed importless Terrafirma Dyip, 113-69, on Friday at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium. The win assures Meralco of a win-once edge and gives it a chance to finish as high as No. 2 with a win on Sunday against the Magnolia Hotshots. The loss drops Terrafirma to 4-8 in the PBA Commissioner’s Cup after a promising 3-0 start.
What Happened?
Meralco wasted no time pouncing on Terrafirma, whose import, Mubashar Ali, was sidelined due to food poisoning. Marvin Jones (11 points), Chris Newsome (7), and Javee Mocon (7) staked Meralco to a quick 37-20 lead after one, before extending the cushion to 61-42 going into intermission.
The Bolts then left no doubt in the third, firing 28 points more while holding Terrafirma to a measly 11. That onslaught pushed Meralco’s lead to 89-53 heading into the final frame, where Jones and company padded the lead some more with a 24-16 finish to the game.
Who Stood Out?
There were plenty of standouts in a game where seven Bolts scored in double figures, but Chris Newsome and CJ Cansino deserve special mention for towing Meralco to the early lead. Newsome finished with 14 points, tied for team high with Jones, while Cansino had 13. The two also combined to shoot 10-for-16 overall. Mocon and Brandon Bates deserve special mention as well, as they sparked the Bolts off the bench, with the former firing 11 points and the latter finishing with an 11-point, 12-rebound double-double.
Terrafirma, in contrast, couldn’t find heroes, with Paolo Hernandez as the sole bright spot in an otherwise forgettable end to the conference. Hernandez finished with 15 points and 6 rebounds.
3 Keys to the Game
- Firepower. Meralco just had too much firepower for Terrafirma in this one. In all, in fact, seven Bolts scored in double digits, with another one, Allein Maliksi, firing 8 more. The Dyip just had no answer for the Bolts’ offensive barrage, especially with Jerrick Ahanmisi kept in check.
- Defense. Complementing Meralco’s offensive onslaught was their usually stout defense, which swarmed the Dyip all game long. The Bolts simply didn’t allow Terrafirma to get into any rhythm, limiting Ahanmisi and forcing the Dyip to 31.2% shooting.
- Strong start. Already without Mubashar Ali, Terrafirma just didn’t stand a chance after Meralco’s electrifying start. Put simply, the Bolts didn’t allow the Dyip to gain any confidence by punching them in the mouth from the get-go.
Next Up for the PBA
Saturday, May 9, 2026 | Ninoy Aquino Stadium
Blackwater Bossing vs. Converge FiberXers (5:15 p.m.)
San Miguel Beermen vs. Phoenix Fuel Masters (7:30 p.m.)
