MANILA – Magnolia Chicken Timplados Hotshots continued its blazing start in the 2022 PBA Commissioner’s Cup after a 109-91 rout of NorthPort Batang Pier last night at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
Nicholas Rakocevic tallied double-double 26 points and 14 rebounds to go with four assists and two blocks. The Hotshots maintained its hold of the No. 1 spot in the standings with a clean 5-0 record.
Andy Mark Barroca added 13 markers and eight assists. Ian Sangalang returned from injury with 10 points, while Jiovani Jalalon and Jerrick Ahanmisi also had 10 markers each for the Hotshots.
The Hotshots pulled away from a tight start behind back-to-back triples by Ahanmisi for a 30-20 lead. It grew further in the second period with connections from Calvin Abueva, Paul Lee and Rakocevic for a 56-39 halftime lead.
The Batang Pier attempted to come close early in the third period as they cut the deficit to as low as 11 points but the Hotshots regained its shooting behind Rakocevic and Jalalon as the lead reached its largest at 21 points.
Kevin Ferrer ended with conference-high 19 points, Robert Bolick Jr. was held to 15 markers, Prince Ibeh and Arvin Tolentino had 11 markers each while Mer Jesper Ayaay contributed 10 as the Batang Pier dropped to 3-3.
In the first game, Bay Area Dragons vented its ire on a June Mar Fajardo-less San Miguel Beermen with a 113-87 drubbing. The guest team Dragons improved to 5-1, while the Beermen dropped to 1-2.
The Dragons went to work early behind exploits of Hayden Blankley, Andrew Nicholson and Kobe Lam for a 28-17 lead. Nicholson continued his onslaught in the second period as Bay Area pulled to a 58-40 halftime lead.
The Beermen had no answers to the Dragons’ rampage in the second half with Blankley, Songwei Zhu and Lam anchoring the offense as the lead reached its largest at 88-58 on a conversion by Liu Chuanxing.
Nicholson finished with double-double 39 points and 12 rebounds, Blankley added 17 markers, Zhu and Lam each had 16 markers, while 7-foot-5 center Liu had double-double 12 points and 10 rebounds for the Dragons.
BOX SCORE:
MAGNOLIA 109 – Rakocevic 26, Barroca 13, Jalalon 10, Sangalang 10, Ahanmisi 10, Corpuz 9, Lee 7, Abueva 6, Dela Rosa 6, Escoto 5, Dionisio 3, Wong 2, Mendoza 2, Reavis 0, Laput 0.
NORTHPORT 91 – Ferrer 19, Bolick 15, Ibeh 11, Tolentino 11, Ayaay 10, Balanza 8, Salado 6, Chan 5, Sumang 3, Calma 2, Taha 1, Caperal 0, Dela Cruz 0.
Quarterscores: 30-20, 56-39, 85-65, 109-91./PN
