MANILA, Philippines – It took the first overtime of the PBA Commissioner’s Cup for Magnolia to arrest its lengthy slump.
The Hotshots won again for the first time in nearly a month after eking out a 99-95 victory over NLEX at the PhilSports Arena on Friday, December 20, behind a monster double-double effort by veteran import Ricardo Ratliffe.
Ratliffe finished with 38 points and 19 rebounds as Magnolia snapped a four-game skid and raised their record to 2-4.
“We’re down at this stage of the tournament but we’re not out. I told them our situation is still in our control,” said Hotshots head coach Chito Victolero. “Hopefully, this is the start of our run.”
Magnolia started the conference with a convincing 18-point win over Blackwater on November 28 before losing four straight games.
In those four setbacks, the Hotshots lost by just 4.3 points, including a pair of single-possession defeats at the hands of TNT (103-100) and Rain or Shine (102-100).
But Magnolia got over the hump at last, with Ratliffe capping off his stellar performance with a pair of free throws for the final tally.
Zavier Lucero backstopped Ratliffe with 14 points and 5 rebounds, including back-to-back layups that gave the Hotshots a 94-90 lead.
The Road Warriors, though, quickly erased that deficit thanks to Robert Bolick completing the first official five-point play in PBA history with 55.5 seconds left.
Bolick, who delivered the game-winning five-point play in the PBA All-Star Game earlier this year, sank a four-pointer despite a foul by Magnolia rookie Jerom Lastimosa then drained the bonus shot to put NLEX in front, 95-94.
That, however, turned out the last time the Road Warriors scored as the Hotshots ended the game on a 5-0 blitz.
Lastimosa had 13 points, Mark Barroca finished with 12 points, 8 assists, 6 rebounds, and 5 steals, while Calvin Abueva grabbed 11 rebounds on top of 6 points and 2 blocks.
Magnolia won even without Paul Lee, who got sidelined after a freak accident that saw him get hit in the head by a metal railing during the warmups.
Bolick posted 28 points, 9 assists, 5 rebounds, and 2 steals for NLEX, which absorbed its third straight loss and fell to 3-4.
The Road Warriors have not won since they enjoyed a three-game winning streak.
NLEX import Mike Watkins netted 17 points, 23 rebounds, and 4 blocks, although he was hardly involved on the offensive end down the stretch as he scored just 6 points combined in the fourth and overtime periods.
The Scores
Magnolia 99 – Ratliffe 38, Lucero 14, Lastimosa 13, Barroca 12, Balanza 6, Abueva 6, Mendoza 3, Dionisio 3, Dela Rosa 2, Sangalang 2, Laput 0, Ahanmisi 0.
NLEX 95 – Bolick 28, Herndon 18, Watkins 17, Alas 11, Torres 8, Mocon 6, Semerad 5, Policarpio 2, Nieto 0, Rodger 0, Marcelo 0, Valdez 0.
Quarters: 21-22, 38-45, 64-63, 87-87, 99-95.
– Rappler.com