Meralco came out firing and never looked back, using a blistering opening stretch to defeat Rain or Shine, 96-79, on Saturday, Dec. 27, at Smart Araneta Coliseum and force a deciding Game 3 in their PBA Philippine Cup quarterfinal series.

The Bolts stunned the second-seeded Elasto Painters with relentless defense and crisp execution, quickly building a commanding cushion that erased Rain or Shine’s win-once advantage and shifted the momentum of the matchup.

Cliff Hodge and Chris Newsome anchored Meralco’s surge, spearheading an early blitz that ballooned into a 56-22 advantage before halftime. The Bolts settled for a 58-31 lead at the break, firmly putting Rain or Shine on its heels.

Bolts dominate early, survive late push

Rain or Shine showed its trademark grit after the break, mounting a spirited rally behind Adrian Nocum and Gian Mamuyac. The Elasto Painters gradually trimmed the deficit, closing within 78-60 heading into the fourth quarter and threatening again at 87-75 late in the game.

Meralco, however, found timely answers. Jansen Rios drilled his third and final three-pointer, while Newsome closed strong with four clutch points to snuff out any remaining comeback hopes.

Trillo pleased, but sees room for improvement

Despite the victory, Meralco coach Luigi Trillo acknowledged that his team was far from satisfied, particularly with how the second half unfolded. He credited Rain or Shine’s physicality and small-ball lineups for swinging momentum after halftime.

Chris Newsome finished with 14 points, while CJ Cansino added 14 markers and a team-high eight rebounds. Hodge also chipped in 14, with Aaron Black and Rios contributing 12 points apiece.

Nocum led all scorers with 17 points for Rain or Shine, while Mamuyac added 16. The Elasto Painters struggled mightily from deep, converting just four of 33 three-point attempts, while also committing 18 turnovers and missing 10 free throws.