MANILA – Magnolia Chicken Timplados Hotshots cruised to its fourth straight win in the 2022-2023 PBA Governors’ Cup after a 112-97 rout of Rain or Shine Elasto Painters last night at the Philsports Arena in Pasig City.
Paul Lee spearheaded the offense with 19 points, including two outside conversions. Jiovani Jalalon added 19 markers and eight rebounds, while Andy Mark Barroca also ended with 19 points for the Hotshots.
Reinforcement Antonio Hester chipped in double-double 17 points and 15 rebounds, while Russel Escoto contributed 10 markers. The Hotshots scored its fourth straight win for a 4-3 win-loss slate.
The Hotshots had a fiery opening half behind Lee and Jalalon as they lead by as much as 18 points but the Painters clawed its way back to cut the deficit to as low as nine points in the third canto.
The Hotshots, however, got a huge lift on consecutive points by Barroca late in the third quarter before Hester, Jalalon and Rome dela Rosa made their contributions in the fourth as the lead reached its largest at 23 points.
Greg Smith II finished with 15 points, while Leonard Santillan and Nick Demusis contributed 14 and 11 markers, respectively, as the Painters saw their two-game winning run snapped to drop to 2-5.
In the first game, NorthPort Batang Pier finally nailed a victory this season-ending conference following a 115-100 domination of Terrafirma Dyip. The Batang Pier improved to 1-6, while the Dyip dropped to 2-6.
Holding to a slim 72-69 lead midway in the third quarter, the Batang Pier banked on inside shots by Kevin Murphy and Joshua Munzon and outside shots from Robert Bolick Jr. for an 88-80 edge.
The Batang Pier pulled away further in the fourth period as inside connections from John Michael Calma and triples by Munzon, Negrense Jeffrei Chan, Ilonggo Juan Paolo Taha and Murphy gave them the largest lead of 115-98.
Murphy tallied 28 points, including four triples, Bolick Jr. added 26 markers, nine rebounds and six assists, Calma posted career-best 18 points along with nine rebounds, as Munzon torched his former team with 17 markers, with four outside conversions./PN
BOX SCORE:
MAGNOLIA 112 – Lee 19, Barroca 19, Jalalon 19, Hester 17, Escoto 10, Dela Rosa 8, Reavis 6, Dionisio 6, Abueva 4, Wong 2, Zaldivar 2, Ahanmisi 0, Mendoza 0, Laput 0.
RAIN OR SHINE 97 – Smith 15, Santillan 14, Demusis 11, Yap 9, Belga 9, Caracut 9, Ildefonso 8, Asistio 6, Norwood 5, Nambatac 5, Mamuyac 4, Clarito 2, Ponferrada 0, Borboran 0.
Quarterscores: 33-19, 53-44, 91-77, 112-97.
