(PBA image)
Meralco may be down, but Chris Newsome insists the Bolts are far from out of the fight.
After absorbing a second straight loss to TNT Tropang 5G in their PBA Season 50 Philippine Cup semifinal series, Meralco found itself in a tough 0-2 deficit in a best-of-seven showdown that leaves little room for error. Still, Newsome made it clear that panic has no place inside the Bolts’ locker room.
“We can’t let these two losses affect our morale and team spirit. That’s the main thing,” Newsome said following their 109-92 defeat at the Smart Araneta Coliseum. “We’ll lean on our veterans who’ve been through multiple series. In a series, anything can happen. You can be down two or three games and still win.”
The Gilas Pilipinas stalwart backed up his words with grit on the floor. Newsome played through a dislocated pinky finger he suffered early in the game, refusing to sit out even as the Tropang 5G steadily took control.
Despite the injury, he still led Meralco with 18 points, five rebounds, and four assists, showing the resolve he hopes will rub off on the rest of the Bolts. It wasn’t enough to stop TNT from seizing momentum, but it underscored the fight Meralco plans to bring moving forward.
Now facing a must-win situation, Newsome and the Bolts turn their focus to Game 3 on Friday at the same venue, aiming to finally crack the series and remind everyone that this semifinal is far from settled.