What has become a long, agonizing wait for a breakthrough playoff appearance in the East Asia Super League (EASL) continues for Meralco.
The Bolts bowed out of the pan-regional contest’s 2025-26 edition after absorbing an 88-79 defeat at the hands of an old tormentor in Ryukyu at the SMART Araneta Coliseum on Wednesday night.
Coach Nenad Vucinic & Co. needed to win by six in order to clinch the no. 2 seed in Group B and book a trip to the EASL Finals. But the Golden Kings were simply too good, ultimately denying the PBA outfit.
As a result, the B.League representatives are headed to the culminating event, set in March in Macau, as the best team in the pool with a 5-1 record, with P. League+ side Taoyuan Pauian Pilots coming in at second with a 4-2 slate.
Meralco, on the other hand, finished third at 3-3, missing the playoffs for the third straight time.
