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[av_heading heading=’ Second-half rallies help Star down NLEX ‘ tag=’h3′ style=’blockquote modern-quote’ size=’30’ subheading_active=’subheading_below’ subheading_size=’15’ padding=’10’ color=” custom_font=”]
BY ADRIAN STEWART CO
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Monday. September 25, 2017
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MANILA – Star Hotshots turned things around in the second half to fend off NLEX Road Warriors 101-93 in the PBA Governors’ Cup yesterday at the Smart-Araneta Coliseum.
Down by as much as 15 points in the first half, Hotshots began its fight-back in the third quarter behind Peter June Simon, Aldrech Ramos and Mark Barroca to tie the scores at 51-all.
Road Warriors managed to pull away 64-58 but hits by Ramos and Rome Dela Rosa allowed Hotshots to again tie the scores at 68-all before unloading a 7-0 run to take a 75-69 advantage heading into the fourth.
NLEX was still hanging around 74-77 early in the fourth quarter but conversions by Paul Lee, Kristofer Acox and Barroca gave Star a 91-81 lead after a trey from Justin Melton.
Road Warriors had its last run courtesy of Alex Mallari for 87-95 but a pull-up jumper by Barroca, a baseline hit by Lee and an inside conversion by Pingris gave Hotshots its biggest lead 101-87.
Simon top-scored with 16 points, Lee added 15 markers, while Acox and Ramos had 14 each for Hotshots, which finished its elimination round campaign with a 7-4 win-loss record.
“I am proud of my players, especially in the second half. Maganda ang execution naming,” said Hotshots head coach Chito Victolero. “Whatever happens in the second game, we just want to win.”
Hotshots will have a chance to join Meralco Bolts, TNT KaTropa and Barangay Ginebra San Miguel Kings in the top four with a “twice-to-beat” playoffs advantage if Bolts beats San Miguel Beermen. Their game was ongoing as of press time.
However, a win by Beermen will relegate Hotshots to fifth to eighth place with a twice-to-win disadvantage.
Aaron Fuller finished with double-double 16 points and 17 rebounds while Mallari and Larry Fonacier had 13 and 12 points, respectively, for Road Warriors, which slid to 7-4./PN
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