While Zavier Lucero was hailed Player of the Game, there were other heroes for Magnolia in their thrilling overtime victory over San Miguel.
Zavier Lucero could not help but repeatedly exclaim “Hell, yeah” as he made his way to the press room at the Smart Araneta Coliseum in Cubao Wednesday night, April 16.
Lucero was letting it all out after Magnolia rallied from 14 points down and hammered out a 98-95 overtime win over San Miguel in the PBA Season 49 Philippine Cup.
He scattered 24 points while also hauling down seven rebounds, dishing out two assists and blocking Beermen behemoth June Mar Fajardo twice, enough to earn him Player of the Game honors.
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Lucero thus enabled the Hotshots to keep a perfect 3-0 record for the solo early leadership they earlier shared with SMB prior to the match.
“I know what I do well, and I just try to go out there and do that and bring energy and play to my strengths,” said Lucero after the match.
But Lucero was also quick to deflect credit to the rest of the Hotshots for coming together and crawling back from a 44-58 hole.
In fact, it was Jerom Lastimosa and Mark Barroca who made the big shots in the extra period, combining for nine of the team’s 11 points in the last five minutes of action.
“But also, a lot of that comeback was when I was off the floor. Our guys got into a press and started turning them over a lot. Kudos to my teammates, especially down the stretch,” he added.
“A lot of those big shots, Mark and Jerom closed it out for us. Credit to my teammates. It was a team effort for sure.”
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Lastimosa fired four triples, including one that set the tone in overtime. He finished with 21 points, two rebounds and five assists.
Calvin Abueva had a double-double of 11 markers and 10 boards he spiked with four assists and two steals, while Peter Alfaro went perfect in his three tries from the three-point line for 11 points.
“We need this kind of game, an overtime game, a grinding game, to test our character also and to test kung nasaan kami ngayon, on this stage of the league na first three games namin,” said Magnolia coach Chito Victolero.
“We faced this No. 1 team, San Miguel. We know na mahihirapan kami rito. Alam naming medyo close game, grinding game. Maganda para sa team namin. We have a long break and bonus sa amin kung manalo kami because medyo matagal 'yong pahinga namin bago kami bumalik sa practice. Magandang panalo.”
Meanwhile, Fajardo posted a quiet 17 points and 17 rebounds to go with an assist and a block for the Beermen, who lost their first game after back-to-back victories.
Juami Tiongson also scored 17 points, Don Trollano chipped in 16, while CJay Perez added 14 points, five rebounds, six assists, and three steals.
Chris Ross had 10 markers to his name.
Magnolia vs San Miguel Scores (OT)
MAGNOLIA 98 – Lucero 24, Lastimosa 21, Alfaro 11, Abueva 11, Lee 10, Sangalang 8, Barroca 7, Dela Rosa 4, Reavis 2, Dionisio 0, Laput 0, Ahanmisi 0, Balanza 0, Escoto 0.
SAN MIGUEL 95 – Fajardo 17, Tiongson 17, Trollano 16, Perez 14, Ross 10, Brondial 10, Lassiter 3, Cahilig 3, Tautuaa 3, Cruz 2, Teng 0.
Quarterscores: 18-18, 36-45, 61-67, 87-87, 98-95.