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2 weeks Ago
CJ Cansino waxed hot from way downtown while Kurt Reyson provided the lift as Meralco pulled off a 118-80 blowout win against Terrafirma in the PBA Season 49 Philippine Cup on Sunday at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium. Cansino buried three four-point shots to lead the balanced offense and finished with 19 points, four rebounds, two steals, one assist, and one block while Reyson chipped in 16 markers, two boards, three dimes, and two steals both off the bench. The win saw the Bolts achieving the biggest winning margin in franchise history.
Starring also in the bench attack were Alvin Pasaol, Brandon Bates, and Jolo Mendoza, all of whom churned out 11 points with Bates grabbing eight rebounds to help the Bolts get the solo lead at 2-0. The Dyip, meanwhile, fell to 1-1. "Ready naman kami every game namin.
Si Coach Luigi [Trillo] at Coach Nenad [Vucinic] talagang pinu-push nila kami na lahat ng dapat naming gawin sa game ay gawin na namin sa practice para masanay kami," Meralco veteran Bong Quinto said. Quinto also praised how the young guns presided over the victory: "Lahat ng players ready maglaro lalo na 'yung mga bago namin, si CJ, si Kurt, sina Alvin, at Brandon. Actually lahat ng ginamit na players ngayon nag-contribute.
" Meralco activated a third quarter to remember, where the reigning Philippine Cup champions unleashed a 12-0 opening run before Cansino beat the buzzer with a clutch four-pointer and gave Meralco a comfortable 86-56 cushion. In that period, Meralco posted 30 points and limited the Dyip to just 13 to pull away for good. Cansino then opened the fourth with another four-point shot before Reyson hit a triple of his own, bringing Meralco to a 93-56 advantage as the other second and third stringers Mendoza, Kyle Pascual, Norbert Torres, and Anjo Caram finished it off for the Bolts.
The lopsided victory also saw Meralco's bench outscoring the whole Terrafirma team with 89 points. The Dyip, who were actually hoping to follow up on a huge 95-87 tournament opener win against Phoenix last Friday, banked on big man Louie Sangalang, who dropped 23 points, seven rebounds, one block, and one assist. Scores: Meralco 118 – Cansino 19, Reyson 16, Quinto 13, Pasaol 11, Bates 11, Mendoza 11, Caram 9, Hodge 7, Torres 5, Almazan 4, Jose 4, Rios 3, Black 2, Newsome 2, Pascual 1.
Terrafirma 80 – Sangalang 23, Melecio 11, Pringle 11, Nonoy 10, Romeo 9, Catapusan 7, Ramos 6, Zaldivar 3, Hernandez 0, Hanapi 0, Paraiso 0. Quarters: 30-16, 56-43, 86-56, 118-80. —JKC, GMA Integrated News.
