Meralco eyes a follow-up on its triumphant first outing in 2025 as it tangles with a TNT side coming from a long holiday breather Tuesday, 7:30 p.m. at the PhilSports Arena in Pasig.
Boosted by the return from injury of a number of key players, the Bolts played with renewed strength and vigor in trumping the Hong Kong Eastern squad, 88-83, in the resumption of the PBA Commissioner's Cup play Sunday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
The Tropang Giga, meanwhile, are just to plunge back into action since playing the last time on Dec. 19. They then blasted the Blackwater Bossing, 109-93, in a follow-up on a 103-100 decision over the Magnolia Hotshots after a faltering 0-2 conference start.
Coach Chot Reyes and his troops have a lot of catching up to do at 2-2 while the Bolts are a bit cozier at 4-2, in striking distance of frontrunners NorthPort (6-1), Rain or Shine (4-1), Converge (6-2), Barangay Ginebra (5-2) and Eastern (6-3).
Both brace for a fierce showdown, with each side looking to build momentum heading into the crucial stretch of the one-round-robin elims.
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It promises to be a wild race not just for the Top Eight but for the Top Two that rewards a twice-to-beat incentive in the quarterfinals.
Coach Luigi Trillo is thankful he's got more legs now to throw into battle with the return of Chris Banchero, Raymond Almazan, CJ Cansino and Brandon Bates.
They're back in the rotation as the Bolts stood their ground in a battle with the HK cagers, and pulled through with a five-point decision in the end.
"I thought our guys were tough today, chasing off screens, bigs having to stay high, execute our pick-and-roll defense, and having to move back and defend," said Trillo of their win over Eastern where they were led by import Akil Mitchell with 31 points and 14 rebounds.
"This type of games we live for because it shows our character," he added.
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Indeed, it's a character win for the Bolts, and they hope to bring it over to the next battle where they're up against a tough, resilient bunch led by Rondae Hollis-Jefferson, Calvin Oftana, Rey Nambatac and Jayson Castro. (SB)
