Jabari Bird quickly made an impact as Magnolia decimated Rain or Shine, 121-69, to even things out in their PBA Season 49 Governors’ Cup quarterfinal series, Friday evening at the Sta. Rosa Multi-Purpose Complex in Laguna.
Already the Hotshots’ fourth import this conference, the former Boston Celtic finished with 22 points and 13 rebounds in 28 minutes of play as he helped set the tone for the rout to tie the best-of-5 affair to one game apiece.
Bird scored 13 points in the first half alone, including eight in the second chapter that saw the squad unload 32 points while unloading the opposition to a measly five points to build a commanding 66-28 lead entering the break.
The match would never be in question as the Elasto Painters struggled to keep pace in facing a team with a new reinforcement in the 30-year-old winger, whose acquisition was made official just a day before Game 2.
“Big factor,” said head coach Chito Victoelro of Bird. “I mean, it’s not the numbers, but the aura — the positive aura, the positive vibes.”
Calvin Abueva led all locals with 18 points and 10 rebounds, along with two assists, two steals, and a block to submit a full line.
Ian Sangalang supplied 12 points, while Mark Barroca came through with a double-double performance of his own with 11 points and 10 assists.
Two more players in Rome Dela Rosa and Joseph Eriobu also finished with 11 points in the victory that saw 13 players score at least a point.
“Very proud and thankful kasi hindi sila naggi-give up,” lauded Victolero as his team posted the second all-time biggest win margin ever by any team in the playoffs, per PBA chief statistician Fidel Mangonon III.
Leading Rain or Shine, on the other hand, was Adrian Nocum with 13 points in the crushing loss, already the all-time worst in franchise history.
The five points they scored in the second quarter, furthemore, equaled the second lowest output in a quarter in franchise history for any game. It is also the lowest in a quarter by any team in this conference.
Felix Lemetti was the only other double-digit scorer with 11 for the Elasto Painters, who played Aaron Fuller in limited minutes due to a left eye issue. He only played for 11 minutes and made four points and four rebounds.
Game 3 is on Sunday at the Ynares Center in Antipolo.
The Scores:
Magnolia 121 – Bird 22, Abueva 18, Sangalang 12, Barroca 11, Eriobu 11, Dela Rosa 11, Dionisio 9, Lucero 9, Mendoza 7, Laput 4, Lee 4, Balanza 2, Reavis 1, Alfaro 0, Ahanmisi 0, Escoto 0.
Rain or Shine 69 – Nocum 13, Lemetti 11, Asistio 7, Datu 7, Clarito 6, Santillan 6, Mamuyac 5, Tiongson 5, Fuller 4, Belga 4, Caracut 1, Escandor 0, Borboran 0, 0, Ildefonso 0, Villegas 0, Norwood 0.
Quarterscores: 34-23, 66-28, 88-49, 121-69.
