PBA FILES

Manila, Philippines — Meralco Bolts inched closer to their first Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) championship after a hard-fought 92-88 victory over San Miguel Beer in Game 5 of the PBA Season 48 Philippine Cup on Friday night at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

ALLEIN Maliksi and Chris Newsome were pivotal in Meralco's triumph, each contributing 22 points. Maliksi's standout performance was highlighted by a critical layup with 3:25 remaining in the fourth quarter, which extended Meralco's lead to 90-80.

San Miguel Beer, however, was not ready to concede easily. They mounted a fierce 8-0 run to narrow the gap to just two points. But Newsome's calm under pressure proved decisive as he sank two clutch free throws with 6.2 seconds left, ensuring a 92-88 lead and sealing the game for the Bolts.

Newsome, coming off a career-high 40 points in the Game 4 loss, matched Maliksi’s 22 points, helping Meralco move one win away from capturing their inaugural PBA title. The Bolts have previously come up short in the finals against Barangay Ginebra in the Season 41, Season 42, Season 44, and Season 46 Governors Cup.

Raymond Almazan, rebounding from a three-point performance in Game 4, added 14 points and played a crucial role in defending San Miguel's star center June Mar Fajardo. Chris Banchero also chipped in 12 points for Meralco.

Despite a stellar 38-point, 18-rebound effort from Fajardo, the Beermen could not overcome Meralco's balanced attack. CJ Perez added 17 points for San Miguel but missed a critical free throw in the final 7.2 seconds, which proved costly.

Game 6, where Meralco will have a chance to clinch the championship, is set for Sunday at the Big Dome.

The Scores:

Meralco 92: Maliksi 22, Newsome 22, Almazan 14, Banchero 12, Quinto 8, Bates 6, Hodge 6, Caram 2, Rios 0, Torres 0, Pascual 0.

San Miguel 88: Fajardo 38, Perez 17, Lassiter 6, Romeo 6, Cruz 6, Tautuaa 5, Trollano 5, Ross 3, Manuel 2.

Quarterscores: Mer 24-25, 47-46, 69-70, 92-88