Meralco Bolts Bounce Back with 118-105 Win Over Titan Ultra in PBA Commissioner’s Cup

Meralco made a strong return to form, fending off a late comeback by Titan Ultra to secure a 118-105 victory on Sunday at the SMART Araneta Coliseum in the PBA Season 50 Commissioner’s Cup.

The Bolts seemed in full control for much of the game, building a commanding 28-point lead, making it appear as though the game was all but decided. However, Titan Ultra, fresh off their shocking upset over San Miguel in their previous game, mounted a furious comeback late in the fourth quarter. The Giant Risers managed to trim the deficit to just eight points twice, the last time at 97-89 with just under five minutes remaining.

But when it mattered most, Meralco showed poise and composure. A controversial foul on Chris Newsome against Bryan Sajonia, which drew the ire of Titan head coach Rensy Bajar, swung momentum back in the Bolts' favor. Newsome calmly sank the ensuing free throws, and a series of timely plays—including CJ Cansino's pull-up jumper, Bong Quinto's one-handed fastbreak dunk, and Jason Brickman's perfect foul shooting—helped Meralco reassert control, stretching their lead back to 106-89 with just over three minutes left.

Meralco head coach Luigi Trillo acknowledged Titan’s dangerous fightback, saying, “Titan is a dangerous team. They had a 41-point quarter against San Miguel, and they never quit after getting their first win. But we did enough to hold them off.”

CJ Cansino led the charge for the Bolts with a stellar 26 points, six rebounds, and five assists, earning Player of the Game honors. Marvin Jones contributed a dominant all-around performance, finishing with 24 points, 14 rebounds, three assists, a steal, and a block. Bong Quinto chipped in 15 points, and Jason Brickman added 13 points, four rebounds, and four assists in a balanced offensive effort. Javee Mocon also made his mark with 11 points.

The win improved Meralco's record to 3-1, bouncing back from their loss to an all-Filipino Rain or Shine squad last Friday. Meralco now shifts their focus to a crucial MVP Group clash against TNT (2-1) on April 7 at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium.

Meanwhile, Titan Ultra fell short despite an explosive performance from Bryan Sajonia, who finished with 29 points, including 18 in the final frame. Michael Gilmore also impressed with 25 points and 16 rebounds, but the late surge was not enough as the Giant Risers dropped to 1-3.

Titan Ultra now looks to regroup and bounce back from consecutive losses in their next game.