CAGAYAN DE ORO -- Ending a four-game slump on the road here, the Magnolia Hotshots fly back to Manila Sunday assured of a twice-to-beat incentive in the PBA Philippine Cup quarterfinals.
In the absence of hometown boy Jio Jalalon in this Petron Blaze Saturday Special at the Xavier U Gym, the rest of the Magnolia team came out and put on a show en route to a 94-65 rout of the hapless Meralco Bolts that guaranteed them of second seeding in the playoff round.
Paul Lee, who's barely back from an injury, shone brightest with an 18-point final-half explosion, including big buckets in the third period that touched off their breakaway. He finished with a game-high 21 points.
The Hotshots made a big separation in the third period, 68-48, and went roaring in the final period to effectively eliminate the Bolts (4-7) while claiming runner-up honors in the elims behind the San Miguel Beermen.
San Miguel, the reigning all-Filipino three-peat champ, will be the elims top notcher regardless of the result of its match versus Rain or Shine on Wednesday at the MOA Arena.
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The Beermen and the Hotshots enjoy a crucial twice-to-beat advantage as they tangle with the eighth and the seventh seeds, respectively, in the quarterfinals.
Alaska Milk (7-4), NLEX (6-4), Rain or Shine (5-4), Barangay Ginebra (5-5), GlobalPort (5-5), Blackwater (5-6), Phoenix Petroleum (4-6) and TNT KaTropa (4-6) jockey for position behind the Top Two. The top four among these teams figure in a pair of best-of-three showdowns, with the next two grabbing the last two playoff berths.
Held to three points in the first half, Lee blasted off the starting block in the second half and set the tone of Magnolia's vengeful triumph against the very team that swept them in the best-of-five semifinals in the last Governors Cup.
Lee frolicked in the second half, spiking his performance with an amazing basket on a drive then two triples that ignited their decisive surge in the third.
And there's no stopping the Hotshots with their reserves also doing a good job.
Ian Sangalang and Robert Herndon produced double-digit outputs with 12 and 10 points, respectively, while playing off the bench.
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Marc Pingris contributed 10 boards, four markers, three assists, two blocks and one steal against one turnover. (SB)
The scores:
Magnolia 94 - Lee 21, Sangalang 12, Herndon 10, Melton 8, Simon 8, Barroca 7, Mendoza 5, Reavis 4, Pingris 4, Gamalinda 4, Brondial 4, Pascual 4, Dela Rosa 3.
Meralco 65 - Newsome 13, Sedurifa 10, Lanete 9, Caram 8, Ballesteros 6, Amer 5, Salva 4, Canaleta 4, Faundo 4, Hugnatan 2, Dillinger 0, Bono 0, Tolomia 0, Baracael 0.
Quarters: 20-15, 44-32, 68-48, 94-65.
