Luigi Trillo appreciates Cliff Hodge’s apology following the wrestling-like foul on Zavier Lucero

The Meralco Bolts snapped their two-game losing streak with a commanding 103–85 victory over the Blackwater Bossing in the ongoing PBA Philippine Cup at the Ynares Center in Antipolo on Wednesday, May 21.

Chris Newsome led the charge for Meralco, finishing with 19 points in the absence of key forward Cliff Hodge, who was serving a one-game suspension. However, it was rookie CJ Cansino who turned heads, delivering an impressive all-around performance and making a significant impact on both ends of the court.

Despite the comfortable win, Bolts head coach Luigi Trillo acknowledged the void left by Hodge, describing him as the “backbone” of their defense.

“I think for us, we realized that Cliff is our backbone on defense,” Trillo said during the postgame press conference.

Hodge was suspended for a dangerous foul on Magnolia’s Zavier Lucero, which resembled a wrestling move. The league also fined him ₱100,000. In addition, Magnolia assistant coach Mon Jose received a one-game suspension and a ₱20,000 fine for his role in the incident.

Magnolia’s Zavier Lucero confronts Meralco’s Cliff Hodge after a hard foul late in the fourth quarter of their PBA Philippine Cup game at Ninoy Aquino Stadium, triggering a bench-clearing incident between both teams @INQUIRERSports pic.twitter.com/35KjoLHwwU

— Jonas Terrado (@jonasterradoINQ) May 14, 2025

Trillo expressed disappointment over the punishment, emphasizing that Hodge had apologized immediately after the incident.

“Cliff’s a warrior. First of all, he apologized. If you watch the replay, you’ll see he let go at the last moment. What he did was uncalled for, but he’s got a family and we’re glad he showed remorse,” Trillo added.

Despite Hodge’s absence, Trillo praised his team’s effort in securing the win.

“Everybody chipped in today. No one had their head down, and no one quit. I think the players’ mentality was much better this game,” he said.

Meralco has had a mixed run in the Philippine Cup so far and currently sits eighth in the standings with a 4-5 record. With this victory, the Bolts will aim to build momentum when they face the NLEX Road Warriors on Sunday, May 25, at the Philsports Arena in Pasig City.

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