Hotshots spoil Bol's 53, rise to 6th

Magnolia delivered its most composed performance of the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) Season 50 Commissioner’s Cup so far, leaning on a blistering start and sustained execution to outlast TNT, 106-94, on Tuesday night at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium.

While all eyes were on the highly anticipated debut of Bol Bol—who did not disappoint with a staggering 53-point explosion—the Hotshots made sure the spotlight would not belong to one man alone, dictating the tempo early and never fully loosening their grip.

Magnolia wasted no time setting the tone, with Clint Chapman leading the charge as the Hotshots raced to a commanding 35-15 opening frame, a cushion that would ultimately define the rest of the contest. From there, they controlled the flow, weathered TNT’s attempts at a fightback, and sealed their second straight win.

Chapman powered the attack with 42 points and 14 rebounds, while Mark Barroca orchestrated the offense brilliantly with 15 points and 12 assists. Zav Lucero added 13 points and eight rebounds, as Magnolia’s balanced scoring and crisp ball movement proved too much to handle. The Hotshots finished with an efficient 51.3 percent shooting clip and dished out 30 assists in a well-oiled offensive display.

Jerom Lastimosa, Javi Gomez de Liano, Rome Dela Rosa, and Ian Sangalang also chipped in at least six points each, underscoring a collective effort that head coach LA Tenorio was quick to highlight.

"This is the first time talaga na we executed our game plan until the end of the game. Yung mga ibang games namin there were mistakes here and there, bad decision-making whether it's on offense or defense," Tenorio said.

"But this time around, they were focused," he added.

Tenorio also pointed to the added emotional fuel against a familiar rival, as Magnolia continues to seek redemption from past playoff heartbreaks against TNT.

"And I challenged them.Sinabi ko lang sa kanila, if I may say, this TNT team, malaki utang sa kanila. Bago pa ko dumating. So it's an extra motivation for them," he said.

"This TNT team beat them twice before I came. And last conference, they eliminated us," he added, referring to their previous postseason meetings.

Despite Bol Bol’s offensive showcase, TNT struggled to find consistent support. Calvin Oftana led the local scoring with 18 points on 7-of-17 shooting, while the rest of the roster had difficulty sustaining momentum. Jayson Castro finished with just five points and pointed to their rough opening as the turning point.

"They made their run nung first quarter. I think 'yun 'yung istorya ng laro eh, 'yung first quarter," Castro said.

TNT briefly threatened in the second half, trimming the deficit to single digits on several occasions, but Magnolia responded each time with timely buckets to shut the door.

With the win, Magnolia improved to 6-5, climbing to sixth place and strengthening its push for a quarterfinal berth. A victory against Meralco, currently holding a 7-3 record and already assured of a playoff spot, on May 10 would formally secure Magnolia’s place in the next round.

TNT, meanwhile, slid to 6-5 and dropped to seventh after a second straight loss, leaving them in a precarious position heading into their final elimination game against Barangay Ginebra this Sunday.