“We are down, but we are definitely not out”: Chris Newsome urges Bolts to stay confident

The Meralco Bolts’ struggles in the PBA Philippine Cup semifinals continued on Wednesday, January 7, at the Smart Araneta Coliseum, as they fell to the TNT Tropang Giga, 109-92, in Game 2.

Jordan Heading and Calvin Oftana spearheaded TNT’s dominant performance, combining for 50 points and putting added pressure on Meralco head coach Luigi Trillo to make significant adjustments heading into the rest of the best-of-seven series.

Despite back-to-back defeats, Bolts captain Chris Newsome remains steadfast, urging his teammates to maintain a resilient “down but not out” mindset.

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“I mean, it’s always tough, especially after a loss like that, where we didn’t have a chance in that game. You know they kept the lead. They kept us spread there. A very difficult position to be in. The morale of the team is down right now, but we are definitely not out,” Newsome said in a media interaction.

“The one thing I wanted the guys to continue to embrace is the belief that we can continue to win and we continue to play good basketball. And these last two games don’t define who we are as a program and who we are as individuals. And we really have to play this series all the way out,” he added.

‘DOWN, BUT NOT OUT’ ⚡️

Meralco’s Chris Newsome remains in high spirits even after going down 0-2 in the #PBA50 PH Cup semis at the hands of TNT. @INQUIRERSports pic.twitter.com/sgEbUoI0YM

— Rommel Fuertes Jr. (@MeloFuertesINQ) January 7, 2026

The 35-year-old guard emphasized that Meralco’s veterans continue to remind the younger players that the series is far from over.

“I think that’s the biggest takeaway for us is that they have to win four. We can’t let these two losses affect our morale and our team spirit. So that’s the main thing, taking that experience from our veterans and the ones that have been in multiple series before. A lot of us have been to game sevens. In a series, anything can happen,” Newsome continued.

Meralco’s Game 2 effort was further hampered by Newsome’s early exit after dislocating his left pinky finger, limiting his availability and removing the Bolts’ most influential on-court presence.

“I dislocated my left pinky. It was a clean dislocation. Our team physician popped it back in place, taped it up, and I just went out there and continued to play. Me having to take an early exit didn’t really help. You know I wanted to be out there to help the team start. But I think that’s where you have to show the capabilities of the team, regardless of who’s in the game, they have to be able to perform, they have to be able to execute the game plan.

“It’s just unfortunate what happened to me earlier in the game. But I was able to get it back together and try my best to help the team win despite the injury I sustained,” Newsome concluded.

With the Bolts now facing a crucial juncture in the semifinals, Newsome hopes the team can regroup and respond when the series resumes with Game 3 on Friday, January 9, at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

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