The Star Hotshots stoked the fire of a hot, hot romp from the elimination round, rolling over the San Miguel Beermen, 109-105, in Game One of their PBA Commissioner’s Cup best-of-five semifinal showdown at the Smart Araneta Coliseum Saturday.
In a perfect ride with import replacement Ricardo Ratliffe (5-0) and unbeaten in their last seven games overall, the Hotshots made it eight in a row on big games by their explosive import and shooters Allein Maliksi and Aldrech Ramos.
Ratliffe and his teammates go for a 2-0 series lead in Game Two at 7 p.m. Monday over at the MOA Arena in Pasay City.
The Hotshots sustained their searing charge while stopping the Beermen’s own streak to three games.
“Credit goes to the players. It’s their heart, desire and will that got us the win,” said Star coach Chito Victolero.
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“San Miguel, being an experienced team and knowing what to do, waged a fightback from a 14-point deficit, but my players kept on fighting and grinded out the win,” Victolero also said.
The two teams engaged in a toe-to-toe battle through the first three quarters before Star made a key attack as SMB import Charles Rhodes limped off the court at end the third and sat out the first 96 seconds of the fourth.
Star had opened an 84-75 lead on Rhodes’ return, and the Hotshots kept their feet on the pedal, leading by as many as 15 at before having to fend off an SMB rally at endgame.
Ramos played the fireman’s role, knocking in a dagger trey just as the Beermen had come to within one at 104-105 from 14 points down at 90-104.
“That’s why he’s in there. I wanted to spread the floor,” said Victolero of Ramos.
“In the last two minutes, he was tentative. Our other shooters were also hesitant to take a shot. In a timeout, I told them if you’re open, shoot it. Aldrech responded,” Victolero added.
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Ramos, a former FEU standout with a stint with the original Gilas pool under coach Rajko Toroman, finished with 11 points, four rebounds and two steals.
He’s heroic at endgame preserved Ratliffe’s and Maliksi’s huge numbers.
Ratliffe collected 26 points and 21 rebounds while Maliksi sizzled with a 5-of-6 three-point shooting and also finished with 26 markers.
The first half was nip-and-tuck affair going to San Miguel, 46-45, on Cabagnot’s basket on a drive shortly before the buzzer.
Rhodes and June Mar Fajardo put in 14 points apiece while Cabagnot came up with eight for SMB while Ricardo Ratliffe, Aldrech Ramos and Allein Maliksi combined for 28 for Star.
The Hotshots actually threatened to pull away early, 19-10, but the Beermen made quick adjustments and fought Star to two deadlocks and 10 lead changes in the first 24 minutes of play.
