Bolts, Elasto Painters dispute semis berth

Game today:

(Smart Araneta Coliseum)

7:30 p.m. — Meralco vs Rain or Shine

It’s anybody’s ballgame now as Rain or Shine and Meralco clash one last time to decide which team will advance to the semifinals of the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) Season 50 Philippine Cup today at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

The lone do-or-die quarterfinals match is set at 7:30 p.m., with the survivor setting up a best-of-seven Final Four showdown against an already waiting TNT.

A strong start that built a comfortable cushion helped the Bolts force the Elasto Painters to use their twice-to-beat advantage after a 96-79 decision last Saturday.

Chris Newsome, CJ Cansino and Cliff Hodge fueled Meralco’s early assault. But it was Jansen Rios’ hustle plays and a crucial trey in the final period when Rain or Shine made a desperate comeback attempt that got the Bolts through.

Meralco coach Luigi Trillo breathed a sigh of relief after taking care of the first do-or-die game against a team that defeated the Bolts in overtime during the eliminations.

The Bolts opened a 34-point gap in the first half that was enough to cushion the Elasto Painters’ fightback.

“Remember in the eliminations, we were up by I think 25 and then they won in overtime. I guess that’s a lesson for us also because we know how good this team has been doing,” Trillo said.

“Again, the last three conferences, they’ve been able to build a team, a good team, and it’s evident with the way they’re playing. They’ve been in the semifinals the last (four) times. This is not gonna come easy,” he added.

The Bolts have yet to reach the semis after claiming a breakthrough crown in the 2023-2024 Philippine Cup.

“So, it’s not gonna be given easy. Hopefully, the guys come ready to play also in that knockout,” Trillo said.

For Rain or Shine head coach Yeng Guiao, the first game was just terrible offensively.

The second-seeded Rain or Shine shot a horrendous 4-of-33 from the three-point area and was 26-of-77 overall from the field.

“I guess there’s a reason why we have the twice-to-beat,” said Guiao.

The fiery mentor is confident his wards won’t make the same mistake of having a sluggish start that got them into a deep hole. 

“I feel pretty good that we can figure it out and fix our problems in the first game. I think we just need to lean back on our accomplishments,” Guiao added.

TNT was quick to secure the semis seat after eliminating Magnolia, 118-109, last Saturday.

On the other hand, defending champion San Miguel will face the survivor between Converge and Barangay Ginebra in the other semis pairing.

The No. 4 seed FiberXers and Kings were in a win-or-go-home match for a semis berth as of press time.