ANTIPOLO — Magnolia extended its winning streak to three for the first time in the PBA Season 50 Governors’ Cup following a vengeful 115-101 victory over the slumping Phoenix Super LPG at the Ynares Center here Wednesday night.
Just like they did against Meralco the last time out, the Hotshots leaned on another big fourth-quarter assault. The team opened the period with a 16-2 blitzkrieg to flip a two-point deficit to a 98-86 advantage with only 5:49 remaining.
The game would be all but decided then, as Magnolia earned some payback against the team that spoiled their conference debut, 98-86, last July 11 at the Ynares Center II in Montalban.
(C) PBA Images
Following the result, Magnolia hiked its record to above .500 for the first time as they improved to 4-3 in Group B, in the process dragging the Fuel Masters down to solo second at 4-3 after previously sharing the lead with Rain or Shine.
“The guys responded after the third quarter. Usually, kapag nagkaka-run ang kalaban namin, we got deflated at natataranta. Today, they stayed positive,” offered head coach LA Tenorio, pleased with the poise his men showed.
KJ Buffen led Magnolia with 35 points and 10 rebounds, although Jerom Lastimosa took the spotlight with a career-high 30 en route to earning Player of the Game honors — a citation some felt was robbed from him in their last game.
The rising star out of Adamson University, just like against the Bolts, powered the breakaway. He scored the first eight points of the decisive run before Buffen, Mark Barroca, and Ian Sangalang came in to make it 16 in a row.
Barroca supplied 21 points, six rebounds, and four assists plus one steal, while Sangalang chipped in 10 markers and six boards in the victory.
Magnolia will now head into a long break before battling Blackwater on October 9, and the challenge now is trying to keep the rhythm flowing amid the lull.
“Too bad we’re taking a break for nine weeks, sayang yung momentum namin. Nandoon na sana ang rhythm,” lamented Tenorio as the PBA pauses for the national team window. “Pero mahalaga ito sa amin. We needed this win before the break.”
(C) PBA Images
BJ Johnson, on the other hand, had 37 points and eight rebounds to lead Phoenix, which has lost twice in a row now — its third loss in the last four games.
Ricci Rivero made 16 points to lead the bench. Kenneth Tuffin and Kai Ballungay had 12 markers apiece while Gian Mamuyac added 10.
Mamuyac himself gave the Fuel Masters an 86-82 lead early in the deciding frame, but it proved to be the last time they’d be in the driver’s seat. Lastimosa powered the killer run that turned things around in the Hotshots’ favor.
The Scores:
Magnolia 115 – Buffen 35, Lastimosa 30, Barroca 21, Sangalang 10, Lucero 9, Andrada 5, Alfaro 3, Dela Rosa 2, Jopia 0, Lee 0, Koon 0
Phoenix Super LPG 101 – Johnson 37, Rivero 16, Tuffin 12, Ballungay 12, Mamuyac 10, Tio 7, Santos 3, Escandor 2, Chua 2, Perkins 0, Delos Santos 0, Reavis 0
Quarterscores: 28-33, 60-49, 82-84, 115-101.
