MANILA, Philippines — CJ Cansino knocked down the game-clinching four-point shot as Meralco knocked down TNT, 101-90 to tie the series at 2-2 in their PBA Season 50 Commissioner’s Cup semifinals on Wednesday at the Araneta Coliseum.
The Tropang 5G fought valiantly after cutting the Bolts’ nine-point lead in the final canto to just 93-90 on a Roger Pogoy triple.
But the former University of the Philippines gunner made the long four-point bomb with 1:21 to go to give the Bolts the breathing space needed, 97-90.
TNT failed to score the rest of the way, while Javee Mocon, who played a big role, too after scoring nine of Meralco’s first 11 points in the last period, scored on a layup, before Cliff Hodge added anothet basket to seal the win.
It was a huge bounce-back win for Meralco, which bowed to an all-Filipino TNT crew, 79-77 in Game 3.
Meralco’s new import Patrick Gardner, who came in to replace Marvin Jones, had a winning debut as he finished with 20 points, highlighted by three triples.
The American-Egyptian big man also collared 13 rebounds before fouling out with 3:26 left.
Cansino fired 17 points, while Mocon also delivered big with his double-double output of 13 and 10 rebounds. Aaron Black added 12 points while Chris Newsome had 11.
Comebacking import Chris McCullough scored 24 points and grabbed nine reby, but missed all his five attempts from downtown.
