CANSINO VOWS TO LEARN AFTER COSTLY MISTAKES WASTE CAREER NIGHT

CJ Cansino was bloodied but unbowed.

The Meralco sophomore was hurting after missing out on the final two plays of the team in a 99-96 Game 5 heartbreaker against TNT in their PBA Philippine Cup semifinals series.

Cansino hit a career-high 36 points on a high 60 percent shooting clip, but couldn’t convert the baskets which mattered most in the endgame and led to Meralco’s exit in the best-of-seven duel.

It was the first 30-point game of Cansino in the league to cap off his first ever semifinals stint.

READ: Trillo not pinning blame on Cansino after his hero-to-goat moment

But things could have been better if the Bolts were able to win the game and extend the series to a Game 6.

"Sobrang regret din. Andun na, e," said the rising 26-year-old guard.

Meralco though, wouldn’t have a shot at winning the match at endgame if not for Cansino, who poured 17 points in the fourth quarter and sparked a 20-5 run that turned a 10-point deficit into a 95-91 lead with 27 seconds remaining.

Banking on its playoff experience, TNT didn’t blink and went to Rey Nambatac and Jordan Heading for the crucial points and plays to reverse the tide for the Tropang 5G and clinch the first finals berth in the season-opening conference.

In those final sequences, Cansino lost the ball off a steal by Heading that led to the go-ahead basket for TNT, got his shot blocked by Calvin Oftana, and then forced a four-point shot that didn’t hit its target in the Bolts’ final play of the game.

Cansino owed up to those mistakes, but said those will only make him a better player in the future.

"Mabigat pero sobrang teaching moments sa akin ito. Laking opportunity na binigay sa akin na matuto ako sa ganitong bagay," said Meralco’s first round pick in the Season 49 draft.

"Hindi man namin nakuha yung panalo, pero on the good side, the positive side, sobrang laking itinuro sa akin ng semis na ito."

2026-01-14T14:15:08Z