CJ Cansino knocked down a cold-blooded four-pointer in the closing stretch as Meralco essayed a 101-90 escape over defending champion TNT in Game 4 to even the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) Season 50 Commissioner’s Cup semifinals series to 2-2 on Wednesday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
Protecting a slim three-point lead, 93-90, the mask-wearing Bolts guard released a long bomb that ignite a closing 8-0 salvo for the best-of-seven series-tying victory.
Cansino, who fractured his nose in the series opener, finished with 17 points on 7-of-14 field goal shooting in Meralco’s mighty bounce back from a humiliating Game 3 loss to an all-Filipino Tropang 5G last Sunday.
New Bolts import Patrick Gardner, who replaced Marvin Jones, debuted with 20 points and 13 rebounds, Javee Mocon added a double-double of 13 markers and 10 boards while Aaron Black and Chris Newsome submitted 12 and 11 points, respectively, for Meralco.
TNT trimmed the Bolts’ lea to 93-90 after a three-pointer by RR Pogoy with 2:55 left. The Tropang 5G even got a chance to draw closer but Mocon stole the ball from Pogoy leading to Cansino’s four-pointer.
Mocon added a layup followed a Cliff Hodge basket for the finishing kick.
Replacement reinforcement Chris McCullough, who filled the spot left by injured 7-foot-3 Bol Bol, got 24 points and nine rebounds but struggled on the floor with 7-of-22 shooting for TNT.
Jordan Heading had 15 points, Pogoy and Brandon Ganuelas-Rosser scored 14 each while Calvin Oftana had a quiet 10-point night for the Tropang 5G.
