The veterans saved the night as Magnolia escaped Converge, 105-93, to bounce back in the PBA Season 49 Governors’ Cup on Friday.
The Hotshots witnessed what was once a 21-point lead become just five entering the last two minutes, but Ian Sangalang and Mark Barroca were there to contain the FiberXers and make sure that no collapse would happen.
Sangalang first cleaned up the missed lay-up of Zav Lucero, before Barroca nailed the dagger triple for the 103-93 lead with 59.2 seconds remaining.
The rest of the crew stepped up on defense afterwards, and Sangalang would help orchestrate the play that put the game away as he found a cutting Glenn Robinson III for an unmolested bucket underneath with 36 ticks left to play.
Sangalang finished with 14 points and eight rebounds while Barroca made seven points, three rebounds, six assists, and two steals as Magnolia broke through the Group A win column after losing the season opener to Meralco.
“We did a good job on the defensive end; siguro ‘yung last, maybe on the last five minutes of the game, doon lang medyo siguro nag-relax kami,” said head coach Chito Victolero. “We need to address that kind of situation.”
“Hindi kami pwedeng ganun,” he added. “We need to be consistent on our defense. Siguro na-limit pa namin ‘yun under 90 points kung ginawa lang namin ‘yung trabaho namin for the whole 48 minutes. But a win is a win.”
Robinson III led the Hotshots with 28 points on a 47-percent shooting clip and five rebounds as a phalanx of locals delivered in the victory.
Jerrick Ahanmisi, in his second starting role in as many games, nailed three fours and finished with 14 points. Paul Lee had the same amount of points.
Calvin Abueva chipped in 10 markers and seven boards off the bench as a total of five players finished in double figures in the triumph.
Magnolia will be back in action on August 29, Thursday, against TNT at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium. The rivalry affair is set at 7:30 p.m.
Converge, meanwhile, was led by the 26-8-5 production of Scotty Hopson as it fell short in following up its 127-95 rout of Terrafirma last Wednesday.
Kevin Racal fired 17 points on five triples, including one from the right corner with 1:58 on the clock that capped off a 13-1 run and pulled themselves to within 98-93 before the 7-0 run pulled off by their foes to finish the match.
BJ Andrade made 11 points while Justin Arana added 10 markers as the main big man and his fellow lead guy in Alec Stockton, who only mustered three points, were the focal points of Magnolia’s defense.
The FiberXers will look for a quick bounce-back against the Tropang Giga as well on August 27, Tuesday, 5 p.m. still at the Big Dome.
Round Two of the Magnolia-Converge affair is on the final day of the group stage on September 23, Monday, 5 p.m. at NAS.
The Scores:
Magnolia 105 – Robinson III 28, Ahanmisi 14, Lee 14, Sangalang 14, Abueva 10, Lucero 9, Barroca 7, Laput 2, Escoto 2, Balanza 2, Dela Rosa 2, Dionisio 1, Eriobu 0.
Converge 93 – Hopson 26, Racal 17, Andrade 11, Arana 10, Santos 6, Delos Santos 5, Nieto 5, Cabagnot 4, Winston 3, Maagdenberg 3, Stockton 3, Melecio 0, Caralipio 0, Ambohot 0.
Quarterscores: 24-18, 48-41, 82-66, 105-93.
