Meralco unleashed a revitalized performance on Wednesday, Dec. 10, overwhelming Terrafirma, 120-87, in the PBA Philippine Cup at the Ynares Center in Antipolo. The Bolts broke free late in the first quarter and never relinquished control, using fresher legs and sharper execution to dismantle the Dyip from end to end.

CJ Cansino powered the surge with 20 points and eight rebounds in just over 20 minutes, sparking a balanced Meralco effort that pushed the lead to as many as 120-84. The victory snapped a two-game skid and lifted the Bolts back to an even 4-4 record.

Complete team effort restores Meralco rhythm

Chris Banchero supplied 13 points, including eight during a critical 14-0 blast that erased a 10-16 deficit and flipped the momentum. Chris Newsome added 12, while Bong Quinto and Raymond Almazan chipped in 11 apiece along with at least eight rebounds.

Brandon Bates finished with seven points but hauled down 16 rebounds, anchoring Meralco’s massive 67-36 board dominance that defined the night.

Terrafirma’s late push falls short

Mark Nonoy opened with a personal 9-0 run and ended with a game-high 22 points, while Paolo Hernandez rebounded from a scoreless outing with 18. Mark Sangalang added 13, but the Dyip still absorbed a seventh straight loss that dropped them to 1-8 and eliminated them from quarterfinal contention.

Meralco, meanwhile, eyes a clearer path to the next round with three elimination games left.

“We have a tough schedule ahead,” said coach Luigi Trillo. “We’ve got Phoenix on Friday and Converge on Sunday so this is a good one to start with.”