Hotshots storm back for the win.
Jio Jalalon had 11 points, 5 rebounds, 7 assists, and 1 steal—all in the third quarter.
Safe to say The Cyclone was the game-changer in the Magnolia Hotshots’ comeback win against the NLEX Warriors on Thursday night at the Smart Araneta Coliseum, finishing with a near-triple double of 17 points, 9 rebounds, and 12 assists.
It was Jalalon’s his whirlwind third quarter, though, that turned the game firmly in Magnolia’s favor. Down 66-55 at the 7 minute mark of the third, the Hotshots looked a bit in disarray, seemingly flummoxed by the Road Warriors’ aggressive zone defense and hot shooting from beyond the arc.
“Feel namin kelangan namin trumabaho talaga. Grind lang ng grind kasi NLEX is sobrang dangerous din na team,” Jalalon said of the Hotshots’ third quarter fight back. “Kelangan namin Manalo, so binigay namin yung energy namin sa third para makahabol.”
True enough, Jalalon did lots of work, absolutely taking over the final seven minutes of the third period as he scored 9 points, dished out 7 dimes, and grabbed 3 boards in that span. With The Cyclone doing it all, the Hotshots stormed back with a vengeance, erasing the Road Warriors’ 11-point lead and building their own 9-point cushion heading into the payoff period.
Curiously, Jalalon, again turned his ankle in this game, stepping on the back of Jake Pascual’s foot after hitting a floater. But, as in the previous game, the spitfire guard shrugged off the pain and came back in the fourth to finish the job and showcase that unyielding fight in The Cyclone.
“Pangalawang sprain na, so sabi ko nga kay coach, okay lang, sige laban kasi kelangan namin manalo talaga,” said Jalalon of his injury scare. “Yun yung mindset ko, gusto ko manalo yung team kasi nga naghahabol sa standings. Gusto ko mag 3-3, so kumbaga willing talaga… wiling ako manalo.”
He was willing to win, all right. And, so, he did everything.