MERALCO looked poised to cruise but nearly let it all slip away before steadying just in time.
The Bolts flirted with disaster after building a 20-point lead but held on for a 110-106 win over TNT Tropang 5G in the PBA Commissioner’s Cup at Ninoy Aquino Stadium on Tuesday night, April 7, 2026.
“They (TNT) hung around. We’re up by 12 in the last five minutes but they persevered. But a win is a win and we take it,” said Meralco coach Luigi Trillo after the narrow escape that gave his team a share of second place with NLEX at 4-1, behind unbeaten Rain or Shine (4-0).
“We gave them 51 free throws and that’s a concern. But at the end of the day, it’s a W and that’s what’s important,” Trillo added, as they survived TNT’s fourth-quarter surge and handed the Tropang 5G their second loss in four games.
CJ Cansino played the fireman’s role and earned Best Player of the Game honors with 19 points, four rebounds and four assists.
Marvin Jones held his own against TNT’s highly touted import Bol Bol, finishing with 29 points and 12 rebounds for Meralco.
Bol matched him closely with 28 points and 12 rebounds but committed a crucial miscue and missed their final attempt to tie the game.
TNT’s 35-point fourth-quarter explosion ultimately went to waste as the Tropang 5G saw their two-game winning streak snapped.
Meralco set the tone early, opening with a 9-0 run and maintaining control to lead by 17 entering the fourth quarter.
But TNT mounted a late fightback, trimming the deficit to just two, 105-107, with a minute remaining.
For three quarters, Meralco executed its game plan — running, sharing the ball and defending. For one quarter, it wavered. In the end, it secured what mattered most: another win.
In the curtain-raiser, Clint Chapman once again delivered as he powered Magnolia to a second straight victory, beating Terrafirma, 85-70.
Chapman filled the stat sheet with 28 points, 11 rebounds, three assists, two blocks and a steal, leading a decisive second-half surge that turned a tight contest into a one-sided affair.
Zavier Lucero, Rome Dela Rosa, Ian Sangalang, Paul Lee, and Mark Barroca also made key contributions as Magnolia moved closer to recovering from its 0-3 start in the mid-season conference. / PBA.PH