Magnolia rides late run to take Game 1 of semis series vs Meralco

The Magnolia Hotshots Pambansang Manok drew first blood in the PBA Philippine Cup semifinals after defeating the Meralco Bolts, 88-79, in Game 1 on Sunday at the Don Honorio Ventura State University Gym in Bacolor, Pampanga.

Magnolia banked on a 20-3 run in the fourth quarter to turn the game around late and claim a 1-0 lead in their best-of-seven series.

Ian Sangalang, despite being hounded by the Meralco defense, came through for Magnolia with a game-high 18 points and eight rebounds.

Paul Lee finished with 17 points, including three three-pointers, for the Hotshots while Calvin Abueva shrugged off early foul trouble to finish with 13 points and seven rebounds.

Bong Quinto led Meralco with 14 points and 10 assists while Mac Belo and Anjo Caram chipped in with 11 apiece.

Things got chippy in the fourth quarter as the game entered the crucial stretch.

Allein Maliksi gave the Bolts a six-point lead early in the period, 69-63, before Abueva, Lee, Sangalang, and Rafi Reavis combined to go on a 10-0 run that put the Hotshots back in the drivers’ seat, 73-69.

Cliff Hodge hit a free throw and Quinto exchanged baskets with Sangalang as Meralco came back to within three, 75-72.

But the Hotshots continued to pour it on with Mark Barroca knocking down a three-pointer, Lee hitting two free throws, and Abueva getting a steal that paved the way for a wide open dunk.

Meralco coach Norman Black was then called for a technical foul, which Barroca converted on for another free throw on the other end. That marked a 20-3 turnaround for Magnolia, which resulted in a comfortable 83-72 lead with 2:32 remaining.

More technicals came later in the fourth with Almazan and Hotshots coach Chito Victolero getting whistled for one apiece during a verbal altercation between the two.

Magnolia finished the fourth quarter with 27 points and allowed only 15 for Meralco.

Abueva was limited to less than four minutes of action in the first half after amassing three offensive fouls in the opening period. But the Magnolia backcourt made sure they could weather his absence as Lee scored 13 points in the first half and Jio Jalalon went a perfect 4-for-4 for eight points over the first two periods.

The Hotshots led 47-40 at the halftime break after closing out the second quarter with eight unanswered points.

Meralco's Chris Newsome, who also struggled with foul trouble in the first half, helped lead the Bolts resurgence in the third as he scored five points in a 13-4 run that helped them claim the lead, 61-55.

An unfortunate collision late in the third took both Newsome and Abueva out of the game temporarily  as Newsome appeared to roll his ankle and Abueva hobbled away clutching his shoulder and with a fifth personal foul with over a quarter still left to play.

The Bolts outscored the Hotshots, 24-14, to close the third with a three-point lead, 64-61.

Jalalon and Barroca finished with 12 and 11 points for Magnolia, respectively. Barroca also finished with a team-high six assists.

The scores:

Magnolia 88 – Sangalang 18, Lee 17, Abueva 13, Jalalon 12, Barroca 11, Reavis 9, Dela Rosa 6, Dionisio 2, Corpuz 0, Ahanmisi 0, Pascual 0.

Meralco 79 – Quinto 14, Belo 11, Caram 11, Hugnatan 10, Almazan 9, Newsome 8, Hodge 7, Pinto 6, Maliksi 3, Pasaol 0.

Quarterscores: 22-17, 47-40, 61-64, 88-79.

—JMB, GMA News