Meralco came to the Ninoy Aquino Stadium with plenty at stake and wasted no time asserting control.
The Bolts turned what was expected to be a competitive matchup into a one-sided rout, dismantling a shorthanded Terrafirma squad, 111-69, to strengthen their bid for a twice-to-beat advantage in the PBA Commissioner’s Cup playoffs.
Meralco capitalized on the absence of Terrafirma import Mubashar Ali, who was reportedly hospitalized earlier in the day due to food poisoning. The Dyip struggled from the opening tip as the Bolts unleashed an early scoring barrage that effectively decided the game by halftime.
Marvin Jones and the starting unit led the charge, powering Meralco to a commanding 51-20 lead at the break. From there, the Bolts never let up.
Even with Jones playing just 13 minutes and the starters resting for most of the second half, Meralco’s reserves kept the pressure on, taking advantage of Terrafirma’s depleted lineup and extending the lead deep into garbage time.
The victory marked Meralco’s third straight win and set a new franchise record for the largest winning margin.
With the win, the Bolts improved to 8-3, tying Barangay Ginebra in the standings. Meanwhile, Rain or Shine moved to 9-3 after a high-scoring win over Titan Ultra, solidifying its hold on a Top 2 spot.
Meralco now turns its focus to a crucial matchup against Magnolia, where a win would secure the No. 2 seed and a valuable twice-to-beat edge in the quarterfinals, something the franchise has not achieved in years.
“It’s been three years since we’ve had the chance to get a twice-to-beat,” said Meralco head coach Luigi Trillo.
“We put ourselves in a situation to do that. Obviously, a little bit of luck, like their import didn’t play today. But happy for the guys.”
Despite the momentum, the Bolts’ position remains far from secure. A loss to Magnolia, coupled with wins by Ginebra and Rain or Shine, could drop Meralco to fourth place.
Still, the team enters the final stretch with confidence and a chance to build on a run that echoes its 2023-24 Philippine Cup championship campaign.
For Terrafirma, the defeat marked its worst loss and lowest scoring output of the conference, falling to a 4-8 record. While disappointing, the Dyip have still shown improvement from their one-win campaign in the season-opening Philippine Cup.
With their Commissioner’s Cup run nearing its end, Terrafirma will now regroup ahead of the Governors’ Cup, which opens on June 10.