Sophomore guard CJ Cansino rose to the occasion in dramatic fashion on Wednesday night, knocking down a clutch four-point shot in the final minutes to power the Meralco Bolts to a crucial 101-90 victory over TNT Tropang Giga in Game 4 of the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) Season 50 Commissioner’s Cup semifinals at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
With the win, the Bolts evened the best-of-seven semifinal series at 2-2 and regained momentum heading into the pivotal Game 5 showdown.
Cansino delivered the dagger at the most critical point of the contest. Meralco appeared in control for most of the fourth quarter, but TNT mounted a late rally behind veteran sniper Roger Pogoy, whose corner triple sliced the Bolts’ once-comfortable 11-point advantage down to just three points, 93-90, with under two minutes remaining.
OKBET is Asia’s most trusted and popular online sports gaming platform. Visit us on OKBET to stay up to date with all sports news from around the world.
As the Tropang Giga threatened to complete the comeback, Meralco turned to its young guard for a response.
With the shot clock winding down and a defender draped all over him, Cansino calmly launched a booming 27-foot four-pointer from well beyond the arc. The ball swished through the net with 1:21 left on the clock, igniting the crowd and restoring Meralco’s breathing room at 97-90.
The clutch basket effectively crushed TNT’s momentum and sealed one of Meralco’s biggest wins of the conference.
Cansino finished with 17 points, more than doubling his 8.3-point scoring average through the first three games of the series. Beyond the numbers, however, it was the toughness and resilience he displayed throughout the game that stood out most.
CJ Cansino said Meralco’s composure during TNT’s late comeback attempt gave the Bolts a huge confidence boost, with the guard believing their Game 4 win can fuel them heading into the crucial next game of the semifinals. l Via Zeus Valdez pic.twitter.com/S7t0t0XACu
— Fastbreak (@fastbreaknewsph) May 28, 2026
The 26-year-old guard suited up despite suffering a fractured nose earlier in the series, forcing him to wear a protective face mask during the contest. According to Cansino, the injury happened during Game 1 after an accidental hit from teammate Jordan Heading.
“Nung Game 1 namin, fourth quarter ata ‘yun nung tinamaan ako ni Jordan Heading sa corner. So doon siya nakuha. May fracture daw,” Cansino said during the postgame press conference.
Adjusting to the protective mask was far from easy, especially with the tight turnaround between games. Still, the versatile guard made sure to put in the necessary work to adapt.
“Kasi nung umpisa sobrang struggling. Kasi hindi kami nakapag-practice one day lang pagitan ng mga games. So talagang pinag-decide ko kung gagamitin ko ba o hindi. So nag-reps nalang ako sa practice ng marami talaga. As in every day nag-rereps ako hanggang masanay ako. And then masasabi ko makakatulong naman ‘yun,” he added.
Despite the discomfort, Cansino ultimately chose to keep wearing the mask, believing it allowed him to play his usual aggressive style without worrying too much about aggravating the injury.
“Mahirap kasi kapag hindi ko ginamit baka mas mailang ako na hindi maging physical kasi iingatan ko yung ilong ko. So sabi ko sanayin ko nalang na may mask. Well ‘yun nga ‘yung sabi, mag-mask ako para gumaling ‘yung fracture. So kapag tinamaan siya ulit kasi, ma-dislocate at kailangan na siya operahan,” Cansino concluded.
Cansino’s fearless performance provided a major spark for Meralco, which showed poise down the stretch after allowing TNT to creep back into the game. His timely four-point conversion not only highlighted his confidence under pressure but also underscored the depth and composure the Bolts have relied on throughout the semifinals.
Now with the series tied at two games apiece, all eyes shift to Game 5 on Friday, May 29, once again at the Smart Araneta Coliseum. Meralco will look to ride the momentum of its Game 4 victory, while TNT hopes to quickly regroup in what is shaping up to be a fiercely contested semifinal battle.
If Cansino continues to provide the same energy, toughness, and clutch shot-making, the Bolts may have found the x-factor capable of swinging the series in their favor.
Don’t miss out on the latest sports news, updates, and fan discussions!
Follow our Facebook page Sports PH News today and join the community of passionate sports fans.
Leave a Reply