PBA: CJ Cansino’s absence hurts Meralco in loss to Ginebra loss

Meralco Bolts’ CJ Cansino on the bench during a game vs Barangay Ginebra Gin Kings in the 2026 PBA Governors’ Cup. –MARLO CUETO/INQUIRER.net

MANILA, Philippines–The absence of CJ Cansino and three others made it a difficult night for Meralco in Friday’s 2026 PBA Governors’ Cup loss to Barangay Ginebra.

Cansino, Jason Brickman, Bong Quinto and Raymond Almazan didn’t see action for the Bolts in their 84-75 defeat that brought them to 2-3 halfway into the group stage.

Of the four, Cansino was arguably the most sorely missed due to a strained right hip flexor, leaving Meralco without one of its main scorers.

“I was able to play against Magnolia despite the pain,” Cansino said in Filipino. “But the following day, it was too painful that I was able to join our practices.”

Brickman was also out to COVID-19 while Quinto dealt with vertigo that snapped his streak of consecutive games played at 271, third-most active behind Magnolia’s Mark Barroca of 648 and San Miguel Beer’s CJ Perez with 279 before the contest.

Almazan, meanwhile, has yet to see action this conference due to back spasms.

The Bolts have dropped two in a row to finish the first round tied for fourth with Blackwater.

But Cansino refused to cite their injuries as reasons for the slump, saying that Meralco’s offense couldn’t shake off Ginebra’s defense.

“I don’t think [the injuries] affected us that much. Ginebra played good defense, and it rattled our offense,” said Cansino.

Cansino remains a question mark for Sunday when Meralco begins the second round against streaking Rain or Shine at Smart Araneta Coliseum.

Meralco defeated Rain or Shine, 122-114, during the first round.