MANILA – Magnolia Chicken Timplados Hotshots handed Barangay Ginebra San Miguel Kings its first defeat in the 2022-2023 PBA Governors’ Cup in lopsided fashion – 118-88 last night at the SM Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City.
Antonio Hester fell short of a triple-double with 28 points, 18 rebounds and nine assists, while Andy Mark Barroca added 21 markers as the Hotshots scored back-to-back wins for a 2-4 record.
Calvin Abueva also made his presence felt with 18 points, eight rebounds and five assists, while Paul Lee contributed 18 markers, including four outside conversions, for the Hotshots.
From a close 23-18 lead after the first quarter, the Hotshots went on a massive run in the second quarter behind inside hits by Hester and conversions from Lee and Barroca for a 59-37 halftime lead.
The Gin Kings showed some life in the third quarter as they trimmed the deficit to 14 points but the Hotshots regained its offense behind Barroca, Abueva and Hester for its largest lead of 31 points.
Justin Brownlee tallied 22 points, nine assists and seven rebounds, Earl Scottie Thompson added 19 markers, while Christian Standhardinger and Jamie Malonzo had 17 and 12 as the defending champions Gin Kings dropped to 3-1.
In the first game, Rain or Shine Elasto Painters survived a late scare from Blackwater Bossing to pull off a 122-117 victory. The Painters rises to 1-4 record, while the Bossing dropped to 1-5.
Comfortably ahead at 115-106 with over two minutes left, the Painters suddenly saw their lead cut to 117-112 by back-to-back three-pointers by Bossing’s Jvee Casio and Baser Amer.
Rain or Shine managed to restore order at 120-112 on free throws by Rey Nambatac and Gabe Norwood but Casio drilled another triple to pull Blackwater to within 115-120 but two more free throws by Nambatac sealed the first win of the Painters this conference.
Gregory Smith made his Painters debut with 38 points, including five three-pointers, Leonard Santillan chipped in 16 markers, while Nicholas Demusis, Shaun Ildefonso and Beau Belga each had 12 markers./PN
BOX SCORE:
MAGNOLIA 118 – Hester 28, Barroca 21, Lee 18, Abueva 18, Dela Rosa 9, Wong 6, Escoto 5, Jalalon 5, Dionisio 5, Wong 3, Ahanmisi 3, Corpuz 0, Mendoza 0.
GINEBRA 88 – Brownlee 22, Thompson 19, Standhardinger 17, Malonzo 12, Gray 9, Pinto 8, Mariano 2, Tenorio 0, Pessumal 0, Pringle 0, R. Aguilar 0.
Quarterscores: 23-18, 59-37, 87-71, 118-88.
