Tough opposition and untimely injuries proved to to be too much to handle for Ricardo Ratliffe and Magnolia in the PBA Commissioner's Cup. Still, the veteran import leaves with a grateful heart.
Ricardo Ratliffe’s latest tour of duty for Magnolia met an abrupt ending.
Still, the 35-year-old remained grateful for the squad for giving him another opportunity to play in the PBA Commissioner's Cup despite enduring an injury-plagued campaign.
“Thank you so much for having me once again after such a long wait. I’m sorry I couldn’t help us get further along in the playoffs but I’m still happy I got the chance to battle with you guys again. Due to all the injuries we suffered as a team including myself I still think we had a good run,” Ratliffe wrote on an Instagram post, Friday, February 7.
Ratliffe also extended his gratitude to the warm reception his family received in the country, with his Magnolia teammates led by Paul Lee and Mark Barroca commending their import.
“Thank you Big bro. We love you bro,” Barroca commented.
“Much Love my brotha,” Lee wrote.
“All love big bro!!! We appreciate you,” veteran Rome Dela Rosa said.
“We love you old man,” Jerom Lastimisa chimed in.
[ALSO READ: Victolero thankful to import Ricardo Ratliffe as Magnolia closes PBA Commissioner’s Cup campaign]
The four-time KBL champion delivered another strong 22-point, 19-rebound double-double for Magnolia, but the Hotshots’ comeback fell short as the NorthPort Batang Pier advanced to the semifinals.
[ALSO READ: NorthPort dumps Magnolia, clinches first semis berth in PBA Commissioner's Cup]
KUMAPIT KA SI KUYA CARDO NGUNIT KINAPOS
Magnolia had its back against the wall essentially for the whole tournament.
The Hotshots' PBA Season 49 Commissioner's Cup campaign had been a turbulent ride—six losses in their first nine games put them on the cusp of missing the playoffs.
To make matters even worse, Ratliffe suffered an early shoulder injury that limited his effectiveness.
But "Kuya Cardo" wasn’t built to back down.
He was a double-double machine, anchoring the Hotshots with his dominant inside presence.
When they needed him most in a one-game knockout, Ratliffe delivered—a monstrous 32-point, 14-rebound performance against the NLEX Road Warriors to clinch the last playoff spot.
His numbers spoke of dominance—26.2 points, 16.1 rebounds, 3.1 assists, 1.1 blocks per game proving that he is still capable of delivering big-time performances as expected of him.
But fate had other plans as the top-ranked NorthPort Batang Pier proved to be too much for Magnolia in the quarterfinals, cutting Ratliffe’s third stint with the Hotshots short.
[ALSO READ: Ricardo Ratliffe thankful for Magnolia's belief despite rough start: 'They stuck with me']
(With reports from Pao Ambat)
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[Editor's note: This article was written by a member of the One Sports Digital with the help of AI, and then checked by the staff to ensure accuracy.]