Magnolia used its win-once playoff incentive into good use by showing TNT the door, 109-94, to book the first trip to the PBA Season 48 Commissioner’s Cup semifinals, Wednesday night at the Philsports Arena in Pasig.
The Hotshots briefly trailed late in the third but Tyler Bey, Mark Barroca, and Ian Sangalang were there to restore order, and the rest of the crew would put the game away in the final period en route to finishing the Tropang Giga’s hopes.
“We’re always here. Every conference, we’re consistently here,” said coach Chito Victolero as they booked their fifth semis trip in the last six conferences.
“Hopefully this time, we can go all the way. But it is very hard. We need to prepare hard for the next series. Wala pa kaming naa-achieve dito.”
Bey finished with 41 points on a perfect 16-of-16 clip from the free throw line, alongside 13 rebounds, two assists, five steals, and three blocks to lead the top seed, who will face either Meralco or Phoenix Super LPG in the semis.
The second-seeded Fuel Masters and the Bolts will play in a rubber match on Sunday, January 21, 6:30 p.m. at the Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay.
Barroca delivered 17 points, while the tried and tested tandem of Calvin Abueva and Ian Sangalang provided 12 points apiece in the rout.
“I want my players to stay in the present, make sure that we have that mental preparation, and experience namin from previous seasons, previous conferences, nandito kami,” Victolero said.
Rahlir Hollis-Jefferson, on the other hand, had 27 points, nine rebounds, and 11 assists against eight turnovers to lead the eliminated Tropang Giga.
Calvin Oftana provided 20 points and six rebounds, while Roger Pogoy chipped in 17 points on five triples in just his second game back.
It was Pogoy who gave TNT a 69-68 lead through a trey approaching the last two minutes of the third but Barroca, Bey, and Sangalang joined hands for the 9-0 run to end the period and give Magnolia the 77-69 advantage.
Now the Tropang Giga, the team that caught the last bus to the quarters, are headed to an early vacation as they wrapped up a campaign marred by injuries to key players, including resident import Rondae Hollis-Jefferson.
But they won’t enter the break until after their East Asia Super League Season 2 home game against Anyang on January 24 at Philsports as well.
The Scores:
Magnolia 109 – Bey 41, Barroca 17, Sangalang 12, Abueva 12, Jalalon 9, Lee 7, Dionisio 4, Laput 3, Dela Rosa 2, Ahanmisi 2, Corpuz 0, Tratter 0, Eriobu 0.
TNT 94 – Hollis-Jefferson 27, Oftana 20, Pogoy 17, Aurin 13, K.Williams 9, Heruela 4, Montalbo 2, Galinato 2, Khobuntin 0, Ganuelas-Rosser 0, Ponferrada 0.
Quarterscores: 21-23, 50-44, 77-69, 109-94.
