The Meralco Bolts shrugged off the absence of Cliff Hodge and snapped out of a two-game slump with a convincing 103-85 victory over Blackwater on Wednesday. The win at the Ynares Center in Antipolo improved the Bolts’ standing to 4-5 in the PBA Philippine Cup 2025.

Chris Newsome led Meralco with 19 points as the team responded well to Hodge’s one-game suspension. The key forward was banned for his dangerous foul against Magnolia’s Zavier Lucero the previous week.

All-Out Effort From Bolts

CJ Cansino, Chris Banchero, Raymar Jose, Brandon Bates, and Alvin Pasaol stepped up to fill the gap left by Hodge. Their combined hustle gave Meralco dominance in rebounds and paint points throughout the contest.

Coach Luigi Trillo praised the collective effort and emphasized the renewed urgency shown by the defending champions. He noted that the team showed its best defense so far this season and locked in mentally from the opening tip.

The Bolts outrebounded the Bossing 62-42 and shared the ball well with 24 assists. At one point, they led by as much as 22 points, with a 103-81 advantage late in the game.

Blackwater Continues to Struggle

Blackwater couldn’t capitalize despite standout efforts from Christian David and Sedrick Barefield. David posted 24 points and 10 rebounds, while Barefield added 23, but their team struggled with poor shooting and free throw misses.

The Bossing converted just 31 of 79 field goal attempts and missed 11 free throws. With a 1-5 record, their playoff hopes now hinge on winning most of their five remaining games.

Trillo highlighted that Hodge is the team’s defensive anchor and his absence was covered by group effort. “Everybody chipped in today,” he said, praising the team’s mentality and resilience.