MANILA – Calvin Abueva drained a buzzer-beating three-pointer to lift the Magnolia Pambansang Manok Hotshots to a 90-89 victory against NorthPort Batang Pier in the 2021 Philippine Basketball Association’s (PBA) Philippine Cup on Friday at the Don Honorio Ventura State University Gym in Bacolor, Pampanga.
Trailing 89-88 after conversion by Batang Pier’s Kevin Ferrer, Abueva received an inbound pass from Rome dela Rosa before pivoting inside and scored on a twisting close-range hit at the buzzer.
The cager ended with 15 points, five rebounds, four assists, and four steals as the Magnolia Pambansang Manok clinched a quarterfinals berth with a 7-3 record.
Ian Sangalang top-scored with 26 points, including several crucial baskets for the Hotshots in the fourth quarter, Paul Lee chipped in 13 points, while Dela Rosa and Andy Mark Barroca have 10 points each.
“That’s a designed play, a back screen to Calvin, an alley-oop,” Hotshots head coach Chito Victolero said. “Thanks also to Rome, na malaki ‘yung dibdib at malaki ‘yung puso to pass it to Calvin.”
As pretty as the Hotshots’ win was, the talk of the town was the controversial move of Batang Pier head coach Alfredo Jarencio to take away 7-foot center Gregory Slaughter as an inbound defender to Dela Rosa for much-smaller Sidney Onwubere.
With only Onwubere defending Dela Rosa on inbounds, the latter easily passed the ball to Abueva in the final 2.6 seconds for the Magnolia Pambansang Manok’s game-winning shot.
Slaughter was enraged by Jarencio’s decision to take him out at such a critical point in the match that he walked out of the venue since he could have prevented Abueva from scoring the game-winning goal.
“It was a coaching staff decision to replace Greg for Sidney, because we thought it as a better match-up on the inbound. However, it backfired at us,” Jarencio told Spin.ph. “It was our fault at the last play changing Greg.”
Slaughter finished with 21 points and eight rebounds, Sean Anthony contributed 16, while Ilonggo Juan Paolo Taha and Jamie Malonzo each added 14 points as the Batang Pier fell to a 4-5 slate.
In the other match, San Miguel Beermen (6-3) walloped Phoenix Super LPG Fuel Masters (4-7), 110-80, to also clinch a quarterfinals seat. Jaymar Perez spearheaded the Beermen’s offense with 24 points.
BOX SCORE:
MAGNOLIA 90 – Sangalang 26, Abueva 15, Lee 13, Barroca 10, Dela Rosa 10, Ahanmisi 8, Dionisio 6, Jalalon 2, Corpuz 0, Reavis 0.
NORTHPORT 89 – Slaughter 21, Anthony 16, Taha 14, Malonzo 14, Bolick 10, Onwubere 4, Lanete 4, Balanza 2, Rike 2, Elorde 0, Grey 0.
QUARTERSCORES:
12-26; 44-47; 68-67; 90-89./PN
