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CJ Cansino’s career night came with a cruel twist, but the Meralco guard chose to focus on the bigger picture after tasting playoff pressure for the first time.
The second-year pro poured in a career-high 36 points, including 17 in a blistering fourth-quarter surge, as Meralco Bolts nearly pulled off a stunning comeback against TNT Tropang 5G. But late-game poise proved decisive, with TNT escaping with a 99–96 win Wednesday night at the Smart Araneta Coliseum to book a second straight Philippine Cup Finals appearance.
Cansino was at the heart of Meralco’s rally, helping flip a 10-point deficit into a 95–91 lead with just 27 seconds left. Yet the same spotlight that illuminated his scoring explosion also magnified the pain—missed chances on the final two possessions and a costly turnover opened the door for TNT’s late steal.
Still, the 26-year-old refused to shy away from the moment, grateful for the trust his veteran teammates placed in him and honest about the lessons learned under fire.
“Mabigat, pero sobrang teaching moments sa akin ito. Laking opportunity na binigay sa akin na matuto ako sa ganitong bagay,” said CJ Cansino.
“Although hindi man namin nakuha yung panalo, on the good side, sobrang laki ng itinuro sa akin ng semis na ito.”
There was history in the heartbreak. Cansino’s outburst marked his first 30-point game in the PBA, according to chief statistician Fidel Mangonon III, and underscored his growing offensive confidence. With the lone exception of Barangay Ginebra, he has now scored at least 20 points against every active PBA team—a quiet stat that speaks volumes about his upward trajectory.
The Finals may have slipped away, but for Cansino, the semifinals served as a baptism by fire. Painful as it was, it’s a night that could shape the next leap in his young PBA career.
