Meralco’s Chris Newsome. Photo: PBA Images
Meralco is in a similar path it took last season when the Bolts overcame adversity late in the elimination phase to complete a dream run to the PBA Philippine Cup crown.
Could the Bolts pull off a replica of that Cinderella finish this year?
“I wish it would be that easy,” said coach Luigi Trillo after Meralco’s 103-85 win over Blackwater on Wednesday at Ynares Center here in Antipolo City that snapped a two-game skid.
Before the blowout they handed to the slumping Bossing, the Bolts were at 3-5 after absorbing back-to-back losses and also played minus veteran Cliff Hodge, who served a one-game suspension for his dangerous foul on the Magnolia Hotshots’ Zavier Lucero.
But Chris Newsome set the tone with nine of 19 points in the first quarter and also finished with seven rebounds and three steals, CJ Cansino had 14 while Brandon Bates, Chris Banchero and Raymar Jose also made key contributions in the rout.
“Sometimes when your backs are against the wall, it shows your character,” said Trillo. “We were 1-3 and 3-5 [last year]. I think what’s nice about this team is there are so many good people. Our rookies are high-character, our leaders are high-character.
“So we don’t want it to be 3-5, it’s not what we planned. I think teams are really playing well and we had our shortcomings, but we’re lucky that at least we won this one, and in convincing fashion. And there was no let-up. But now, it gets harder.”
Stinging loss
Up next for the Bolts is a tough matchup with the streaking NLEX Road Warriors on Sunday at Philsports Arena in Pasig City before wrapping up the eliminations on May 30 against Barangay Ginebra at Smart Araneta Coliseum.
Winning both games may give Meralco the best position it can be for the playoffs, the next step in its quest to repeat.
A stinging loss to the struggling Converge FiberXers sent the Bolts to that 3-5 slate in the 2024 edition of the all-Filipino tournament, but went on to win the final three games of the eliminations, including victories over the Hotshots and the San Miguel Beermen.
They used that run to go on a stirring run to the Finals, dispatching the Road Warriors in the quarters and eliminating Ginebra in a semifinal series that went the full seven games before stunning the Beermen for the championship.
Mirroring that, as Trillo said, could be easier said than done.
Meanwhile, Blackwater fell to 1-5 in the standings with a third straight defeat despite 24 points from Christian David and 23 from rookie Sedrick Barefield.
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