Meralco Pulls Away from Blackwater to Boost Top-Four Hopes

Meralco strengthened its quest for a Top Four finish with a 108–93 victory over Blackwater on Sunday at the SMART Araneta Coliseum in the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) Season 50 Commissioner's Cup.

The Bolts set the pace early, establishing a 35–25 lead after the first quarter and taking full control in the third to secure back-to-back wins following Friday’s triumph over Barangay Ginebra.

With the victory, Meralco climbs into a tie for third place with Ginebra at 7–3, though standings could shift depending on Ginebra’s ongoing game against Rain or Shine, who currently hold an 8–2 record.

Coach Luigi Trillo praised his team’s focus, saying, “It’s a testament to these guys that they came locked in. It gives us a chance to put pressure and really push for a Top Four spot.” The win also extends Meralco’s streak of consecutive playoff appearances to eight conferences.

Meralco’s balanced attack featured six players in double figures. Import Marvin Jones led with 26 points and 12 rebounds, while Chris Banchero contributed 14 points and eight assists. CJ Cansino and Bong Quinto added 12 points each with solid work on the boards, Aaron Black chipped in 11, and Chris Newsome rounded out the effort with 10 points, three rebounds, and four assists.

Banchero emphasized the significance of the win: “We know how important it is. We’ve been on the outside for the last few conferences, so making the Top Four would be a huge boost.”

Meralco now prepares for its final two elimination games against Terrafirma and Magnolia on May 8, aiming to secure a top-half finish in the Magic Eight.

For Blackwater, Robert Upshaw III returned from injury with a dominant 31-point, 12-rebound performance, but it wasn’t enough to prevent a third straight loss, dropping the Bossing to 2–9. Sedrick Barefield added 16 points, while Paul Zamar contributed 11. Blackwater will close its campaign against Converge on May 9.