Meralco secures PBA cup quarterfinal spot

Meralco Bolts secured their spot in the PBA Commissioner's Cup quarterfinals with a victory over defending champion San Miguel Beermen on Saturday night at Candon City Arena.

Akil Mitchell led Meralco with 26 points, 16 rebounds, five assists and one steal, while Chris Newsome added 20 points and four assists; the duo was instrumental in limiting San Miguel to just 13 points in a crucial fourth quarter before rallying late in the final minutes.

Meralco's win improves their season record to 7-3, tied for second place in the standings with Converge, NorthPort, and guest team Eastern, intensifying the battle for a top-two finish that comes with a twice-to-beat advantage in the quarterfinals.

San Miguel's June Mar Fajardo had a double-double with 20 points and 13 rebounds but also committed five turnovers, while new import Malik Pope struggled with just 14 points and nine rebounds in his debut.

With this victory, Meralco now has a chance to earn the twice-to-beat advantage for the quarterfinals, putting them on track for an even stronger playoff run.