Meralco beats Barangay Ginebra to secure PBA playoff spot

Meralco secured a crucial victory over Barangay Ginebra on Friday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum to secure a playoff spot in the PBA Philippine Cup.

With an 82-73 win, Meralco clinched a quarterfinal berth and concluded their elimination round campaign with a three-game winning streak, improving their record to 6-5.

Chris Newsome led Meralco with 15 points and six rebounds, while Chris Banchero added 14 points in the tightly contested game that saw Ginebra's Tim Cone ejected for arguing with officials.

The win sets up a rivalry rematch between Meralco and Ginebra as both teams prepare for their respective playoff campaigns and international tournaments.

Meralco will represent the PBA in the Basketball Champions League Asia next week, where they face stiff competition from top Asian clubs.