The Magnolia Hotshots collected win No. 6 – and a quarterfinal ticket – as they thwarted the Terrafirma Dyip in the PBA Season 48 Philippine Cup on Friday, May 3.
Magnolia came out firing from the get-go but ran into a stubborn Terrafirma side before completing a 108-100 win that enabled it to book a quarterfinal ticket in the PBA Season 48 Philippine Cup on Friday, May 3.
Ian Sangalang (23 points), Mark Barroca (21), Paul Lee (17) and Rafi Reavis (10) carried the fight for the Hotshots who improved to a 6-4 record to join early qualifiers San Miguel (10-0) and Ginebra (7-3).
The Dyip, who repeatedly trimmed Magnolia's double-digit advantage the Hotshots first posted in the opener and reerected at 15 in the third, fell to 5-6.
"We are a veteran team and we have a bunch of guys na experienced players. It happened na we had a bad game, 'yung last game namin and we just tried to go to the practice and move forward," said Magnolia coach Chito Victolero, whose squad coughed up its lowest offensive output in franchise history in a 51-74 loss to Meralco the last time out.
The veteran quartet showed steely resolve at endgame as they conspired in a 13-3 finisher for Magnolia to shatter a 95-all count en route to the victory.
Stephen Holt fueled Terrafirma's final charge, unloading 13 of the team's last 18 points as the Dyip slowly chipped away a 53-68 third quarter deficit.
[RELATED STORY: PBA: Remember the last time the Terrafirma franchise made the playoffs?]
Holt swished a trey to knot the count at 95 then came through with another triple in Terrafirma's quick retort to Magnolia's Sangalang and Reavis, 98-99, with 2:32 to go.
But that was the closest the Dyip could get from there as Sangalang, Barroca and Lee steadied themselves to secure the win for the Hotshots.
[ALSO READ: Arwind Santos apologizes to fellow PBA players, fans: ‘Gusto ko lang pong manalo’]
Holt produced 32 points in a losing effort for Terrafirma which also drew 14 points from Juami Tiongson and 13 each from Isaac Go and Javi Gomez de Liano.