PBA Semifinals Clash on the Same Day! Meralco Takes on Red-Hot TNT for Early Advantage

The PBA Season 50 Philippine Cup semifinals feature a marquee matchup, with the Chris Newsome-led Meralco Bolts set to take on the red-hot TNT Tropang 5G at the Smart Araneta Coliseum on Sunday, January 4, at 5:15 p.m. This marks Meralco’s return to the semifinals since their championship run in the Season 48 Philippine Cup; the team heads into the series buoyed by a hard-fought playoff journey and a historical 2-1 head-to-head record against TNT in previous postseason meetings. Notably, the two sides staged a tight overtime battle in the elimination round, where Meralco suffered a narrow 98-100 loss. In that game, Newsome delivered an all-around performance with 24 points, 5 rebounds, 6 assists and 3 steals, while Cliff Hodge chipped in a 21-point, 10-rebound double-double. Facing off again, Meralco aims to leverage its experience, toughness and balanced lineup to seize early momentum in Game 1 of the series.

This marks Meralco's return to the semifinals since their Season 48 Philippine Cup title run. The team carries confidence from a tough playoff journey and a historically favorable 2-1 record against TNT in previous postseason matchups.

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