Two teams fighting for their playoff lives—the Meralco Bolts and Phoenix Fuel Masters—closed PBA Philippine Cup action on Friday at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium. The Bolts, behind a hot start, forced Phoenix to play catch-up the rest of the game and did just enough to keep the Fuel Masters at bay for an 88-78 victory.
With the win, Meralco improved to 5-4 and kept its slim top-four aspirations alive. Phoenix, on the other hand, fell to 3-7 to formally bow out of playoff contention.
What Happened?
Meralco, led by 12 first-quarter points from rising star CJ Cansino, bolted to a hot start, winning the first quarter 30-19, and then extending the lead to as much as 17. But Phoenix settled down and cut the lead to 53-45 going into intermission thanks to a buzzer-beating four from Evan Nelle. The Fuel Masters further cut the lead to 71-65 going into the fourth, but the Bolts did just enough to fend off every Phoenix rally. Two huge triples from Chris Newsome in the final four minutes put the game away for the Bolts, who are now tied again with longtime rival Barangay Ginebra San Miguel.
Who Stood Out?
CJ Cansino continued his star turn this Season 50, leading Meralco’s hot start with 12 first-quarter points and finishing with a game-high 22 points on an efficient 8-for-13 clip. Chris Newsome, who struggled for most of the first three quarters, came alive in the fourth, dropping 8 of his 17 and hitting two huge triples to keep Phoenix at bay.
Phoenix, meanwhile, leaned on Jason Perkins, who had 13 first-half points but was silenced in the last 24 minutes by the Meralco defense. RR Garcia picked up the slack somewhat, helping the Fuel Masters get to within 69-65 late in the third quarter. Their efforts, though, were not enough to keep Phoenix in playoff contention.
3 Keys to the Game
- Defense. Meralco’s defense was again on-point on Friday, clamping down on Phoenix’s guards and refusing to let the Fuel Masters get into any sort of rhythm. The Bolts’ defense was so stingy that Phoenix shot just 37% from the field, and 28.6% from downtown.
- CJ and New-New. CJ Cansino’s hot start set the tone for Meralco, but Chris Newsome finished off Phoenix with 8 points in the fourth. Together, Cansino and Newsome, Meralco’s present and future, combined for 39 points, 9 rebounds, and 4 assists.
- Timely shooting. The Bolts shot 43.2%, which is decent by PBA standards. They also went 9-for-25 from the arc. But, more importantly, they hit shots when they mattered most, with Newsome delivering the goods just as Phoenix appeared to be threatening in the fourth.
Next Up for the PBA
The finalists of last season’s PBA Philippine Cup Finals—the TNT Tropang 5G and San Miguel Beermen—will be playing on Saturday at the Ynares Center in Antipolo and will look to improve their chances of a top-four finish. The Tropa will open Saturday action against another team with top-four aspirations, the NLEX Road Warriors, while the Beermen will go up against Blackwater Bossing, who are out of the running for the playoffs.
TNT vs. NLEX (5:15 p.m.)
San Miguel vs. Blackwater (7:30 p.m.)
