Meralco will look to bolster its twice-to-beat quest against also-ran Blackwater in the first game. The Bolts would be even better off should they take to heart that old adage of continuing to put their guards up when they battle the Blackwater Bossing Sunday in the PBA Commissioner’s Cup at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
MERALCO VS. BLACKWATER
When: Sunday, May 3. 5:15 p.m.
Where: Smart-Araneta Coliseum
With a 2-8 win-loss record, the Bossing are already out of the running for inclusion among the top eight teams advancing to the quarterfinals following the 12-game elimination round.
In contrast, 6-3 Meralco is very much in the running for not only a spot in the next round but also a top four finish, which carries with it a win-once advantage in the quarterfinals.
“That top four is very really crucial,” noted Bolts star guard Chris Newsome. “Whenever you’re trying to win a championship every advantage that you can have you want to try and get that. And the top four is a definite advantage.”
Following the Blackwater game Meralco next takes on Terrafirma on Friday and Magnolia at eliminations end next Sunday, with both the Dyip and Hotshots hoping to fan their own playoffs aspirations.
Meralco Bolts
Meralco Bolts head into the contest with a 112-91 victory against Barangay Ginebra. With this win, they halted a two-game losing skid in the 2026 PBA Commissioner’s Cup. Meralco will now again play against the struggling Blackwater Bossing this weekend. The best thing is the Bolts previously defeated them in the Philippines Cup. With three more games to go, they are likely to enter the playoffs.
Meralco have played five home games in the ongoing competition and lost three of them. They posted a 6-5 record in the 2025 Philippines Cup. They finished seventh in the competition and qualified for the playoffs. However, they were knocked out in the semifinals against TNT, the eventual runnerups. The Bolts are 6-4 against the Bossing in the last ten meetings.
Meralco posted a 6-3 record in the PBA Commissioner’s Cup and they are standing at fourth spot. The top eight teams will qualify for the playoffs and they would eye a better seed. The Bolts averaged 103 points in the 2026 Commissioner’s Cup. They will play three more games and they need at least two wins to earn the playoff ticket. Marvin Jones could be an offensive threat for this game. The young centre averaged 24.4 points in the competition. We back him to score 15 or more points in the upcoming fixture against Barangay.
Blackwater Bossing
Blackwater Bossing are coming off a 119-123 loss against the Macau Black Bears. It was their second straight loss in the PBA Commissioner’s Cup. The Bossing fell to 2-8 in the Commissioner’s Cup and their playoff chances are gone. They recently halted a four-game losing streak following a riveting victory over San Miguel. It was also their first road win in the competition. They are back on the road against the Bolts in a crucial encounter.
Blackwater would try to avoid a bottom finish in the competition. The Bossing tied with Macau and Titan Ultra with the least number of wins. They will take on in-form Meralco Bolts in the road assignment. The Bossing posted a terrible 1-10 record in the Philippines Cup and missed the playoffs. They finished in the bottom two. The Bossing are again on the verge of getting the top-two finish.
Blackwater are currently standing 12th in the Commissioner’s Cup table with a 2-8 record. Blackwater are 1-4 on the road during the ongoing competition. If we pick out an offensive threat for the upcoming game, Robert Upshaw is right up there. The 32-year-old forward averaged 33.4 points and 11.6 rebounds in the ongoing season. We back him to score 15 or more points in the upcoming game.
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