GAMES SATURDAY
(Ninoy Aquino Stadium)
5 p.m. – NorthPort vs. Terrafirma
7:30 p.m. – Rain or Shine vs. NLEX
MAGNOLIA forward Rome Dela Rosa asked for a post-up play against Converge playmaker Alec Stockton, whose leech-like defense was giving Dela Rosa fits. With the shot clock winding down, Dela Rosa turned to his left and rose for a no-look shot.
The Hotshots scored an 83-71 victory over the FiberXers for their second straight win in the PBA Philippine Cup at the Rizal Memorial Coliseum in Manila.
There was no way Dela Rosa would miss his off-balance and awkward attempt that made it 76-65 with 3:21 left, in front of a big crowd from all walks of life who showed up at the fabled venue as the pro league celebrated its 50th founding anniversary.
Ditto with Magnolia, which scored a fitting follow-up to a 106-84 ripping of Blackwater last Saturday and rose to 2-0 early in the season-ending tourney.
Converge failed to sustain the gains of a 92-83 triumph over Phoenix last Sunday and slipped to 1-2.
The tiff saw former players during the PBA’s glorious past reminisce about their heydays by watching the match—Jaime “Jimmy” Noblezada and Elmer “Boy” Cabahug.
It can likely also be a sign of the past meeting the future—Magnolia and Converge. Only last night, the Hotshots had the last laugh.
Hotshots coach Chito Victolero beamed after his charges passed a stern test.
“We want to have fresh legs every time mayroon kaming lima sa court and we want this guy (Ian Sangalang), our veterans, Paul (Lee), Mark (Barroca) who have that, iyong fresh legs pa,” Victolero said. “At least, down the stretch we have good execution. We know we can go to Ian or to Mark or to Paul. The younger guys helped us a lot. That’s the result of our week’s preparation.
“Credit to all the players because they embraced the iyong ginagawa namin, kung ano man iyong system namin ngayon ini-improve lang namin ng kaunti, we built lang iyong strength ng depensa namin and I think nagwo-work naman,” he added.
Sangalang barely missed a double-double with 18 points and nine rebounds, on top of four assists for Magnolia, while Zavier Lucero ably backed him up with 18 markers, five boards, and two dimes.
Russel Escoto provided an unlikely big lift for the Hotshots with 11 and two, while Dela Rosa and Calvin Abueva combined for 15 points.
Victolero’s wards took a 36-33 buffer at the turn and held a 59-56 lead going into the payoff period.
Two free throws by prized rookie Justine Baltazar pulled the FiberXers to within 60-65 at the 8:25 mark before Magnolia broke away and stretched the difference to as much as 78-66 on a Sangalang basket, only 2:39 remaining.
Justin Arana paced Converge with 14 points and 14 caroms while Schonny Winston added 14 markers.
Baltazar and Kevin Racal also got 11 each for the FiberXers.
