MANILA – Magnolia survived a late surge from Converge to secure a 105-93 victory in the PBA Governors’ Cup at the Smart Araneta Coliseum on Friday (23 Aug 2024) night.
The Hotshots seemed in control with a 97-80 lead and just 4:23 left on the clock.
However, the FiberXers responded with a 13-1 run, fueled by crucial three-pointers from BJ Andrade and Kevin Racal, narrowing the gap to 98-93 with 1:58 remaining. A timely putback by Ian Sangalang reignited Magnolia’s offense, sparking an 8-0 run to close out the game.
“We did a good job on the defensive end,” said coach Chito Victolero, noting that their target is to limit opponents to 92 points per game—a goal they nearly achieved.
Paul Lee was named Best Player of the Game, contributing 14 points on 4-of-6 shooting, along with four rebounds and seven assists. Tre Robinson led the Hotshots with 28 points, while Sangalang and Jerrick Ahanmisi added 14 points each. The victory brings Magnolia to a 1-1 record, bouncing back from an opening-night loss to Meralco.
Converge, now also 1-1, was led by Scotty Hopson with 26 points, eight rebounds, five assists, and one steal.
In the earlier matchup, William Navarro led NorthPort to a commanding 112-93 win over Terrafirma, delivering a career-high 31 points on 13-of-20 shooting. NorthPort took control in the third quarter with a 34-point surge, highlighted by Fran Yu’s halfcourt buzzer-beater, now counted as a four-pointer.
“I’m just confident—I know my shots are gonna go in,” said Navarro, who also recorded five rebounds, two assists, and two steals.
Venky Jois, making his return, added 16 points, 15 rebounds, and six assists for NorthPort, which now stands at 1-1. Arvin Tolentino flirted with a triple-double, contributing 10 points, 10 rebounds, and nine assists.
For Terrafirma, Juami Tiongson led the charge with 19 points, five assists, and three rebounds but struggled with seven turnovers as the team fell to 0-2. Stanley Pringle and Antonio Hester also made solid contributions, but it wasn’t enough to turn the tide.
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