Hotshots Dominate Shorthanded Beermen in 120-101 Win

Magnolia bounced back in impressive fashion, crushing a shorthanded San Miguel Beer, 120-101, in the PBA Season 50 Commissioner’s Cup on Sunday at the SMART Araneta Coliseum.

With a full roster at their disposal, the Hotshots capitalized on the Beermen missing their import, Justin Patton. Magnolia quickly seized control of the game, taking a 30-22 lead after the first quarter, before turning it into a rout in the third period.

The pivotal third quarter saw the Hotshots erupt for 34 points, with Clint Chapman sinking a three-pointer followed by a rare four-point play from Paul Lee, pushing the lead to 88-62 with under four minutes remaining in the period.

From that point on, San Miguel couldn’t mount a comeback as Magnolia cruised to a dominant win, improving to 3-4 after bouncing back from their loss to Barangay Ginebra.

Head coach LA Tenorio praised his team’s strong response, particularly against an all-Filipino San Miguel squad. “I told them this team is more dangerous without an import. I challenged them because San Miguel is harder to beat when they go all-Filipino, and they responded to the challenge. That’s what I really like,” Tenorio said.

Chapman led the charge for the Hotshots with 34 points, including a flawless 3-for-3 from beyond the arc, along with six rebounds. Jerom Lastimosa also bounced back from a tough previous outing, contributing 13 points on 5-of-6 shooting, plus six assists.

Veteran Ian Sangalang added 12 points, and Zav Lucero chipped in 11 points and seven rebounds, as Magnolia showcased a balanced offensive effort.

The Hotshots will look to build on this win when they take on Converge on April 19 at the Ynares Center in Antipolo.

For San Miguel, CJ Perez led with 23 points on 18 attempts, while Mo Tautuaa and Jericho Cruz contributed 13 each. June Mar Fajardo posted 12 points and eight rebounds, and Don Trollano added 10 in the Beermen’s second consecutive defeat after falling to Rain or Shine.

San Miguel, coached by Leo Austria, will aim to stop the skid when they face NLEX next Sunday, with hopes that import Bennie Boatwright will be available by then.