Game Five is on Sunday at the same venue.
Paul Lee hit the dagger triple as Magnolia Chicken Timplados Hotshots trounced San Miguel Beermen the PBA Commissioner’s Cup Finals on Friday.
Lee drilled in the said shot from Paul Lee range with 1:51 remaining to bury the Beermen for good, 94-83.
The Beermen just didn’t have a riposte from there.
It was Tyler Bey, though, who spearheaded the assault for the Hotshots with 26 points, 12 rebounds, three assists, and six steals as the Hotshots evened the series at 2-all.
Lee and Mark Barroca scored 14 points apiece, while Ian Sangalang had 13 points, three rebounds, an assist, a steal, and two blocks in 30 minutes of action.
“Everyone embraced our defensive mindset,” said Magnolia coach Chito Victolero.
Before sputtering in the endgame, the Beermen recovered from a 10-point deficit and even led 69-67 after Bennie Bostwright’s three-point play at the 2:11 mark of the third period.
What ensued was a nip-and-tuck contest battle between the two teams, before the Hotshots uncorked a 9-2 run to build an 87-79 buffer with 4:38 to go.
Magnolia kept the Beermen at bay since then, before Lee drained the triple to buried their foes for good.
June Mar Fajardo paced San Miguel with 18 points and 13 rebounds, but a pain in his left calf slowed him down in the second half.
CJ Perez, who won the Best Player of the Conference plum in a brief ceremony that ushered in Game Four, finished with 17 points, five rebounds, three assists, and three steals.
Boatwright wound up with 16 points on 5-of-16 shooting from the field. He also had 14 rebounds in a losing effort.
Game Five is on Sunday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum. It will air live on RPTV, A2Z, PBA Rush, and the Pilipinas Live app.