Meralco rookie CJ Cansino aiming for consistency after leading the Bolts to a 103–85 win over Blackwater

The Meralco Bolts snapped a two-game losing streak by beating the Blackwater Bossing, 103–85, in the ongoing Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) Philippine Cup at the Ynares Center in Antipolo on Wednesday, May 21.

Chris Newsome led from the front for Meralco by scoring 19 points, making up for the absence of key player Cliff Hodge, who was serving a one-game suspension for committing a dangerous foul on Magnolia’s Zavier Lucero a week ago. However, it was rookie CJ Cansino who emerged as the star of the game, delivering an all-around performance and making his presence felt on both ends of the court.

Cansino finished with 14 points, five rebounds, three assists, one steal, and one block—impressing the fans who flocked to the stadium. Despite his strong showing, the 25-year-old admitted that he still has room for improvement, especially in terms of consistency.

CJ Cansino is the ArenaPlus BPG.#PBAAngatAngLaban pic.twitter.com/LWmr0iOM02

— PBA (@pbaconnect) May 21, 2025

“I think my problem is knowing that I can do things, but I can’t do them consistently. My coaches are helping me, telling me to be a two-way player. They also tell me that my offense is good enough, but my defense needs some work,” Cansino said in the post-match press conference.

“Even in practice, I’m not afraid to make mistakes as long as I try to be consistent, and hopefully in the next game, I become more consistent,” he added.

The shooting guard drew high praise from Meralco head coach Luigi Trillo, who is clearly a fan of the young rookie.

“I’m very impressed with CJ. He is always mild-mannered and always smiling—I think he’s too nice. Every time we’re in practice and we teach him, he’s very sincere when he looks us in the eyes. He really wants to learn,” Trillo said.

There was no doubt that the Bolts were the superior side on the night, finishing with a +20 advantage in rebounds, +26 in inside points, and 12 more assists than their opponents. They led by as much as 22 points during the game.

It will be interesting to see whether Cansino can maintain this momentum when Meralco faces the NLEX Road Warriors on Sunday, May 25, at the Philsports Arena in Pasig City.