Whatever Magnolia did during the last two days seemed to be enough to finally solve the riddle that is San Miguel.

Mark Barroca and Aris Dionisio provided the spark as the Hotshots finally got one against the Beermen with an 88-80 victory in Game 3 of the 2023-24 PBA Commissioner’s Cup Finals at the Smart Araneta Coliseum on Wednesday, Feb. 7.

The two presided over a pivotal 11-0 run that allowed Magnolia to establish a double-digit lead – an advantage that they never relinquished until the end to cut the series deficit to 2-1.

After allowing SMB to torch them for an average of 106 points in the first two games, Magnolia made sure to put the clamps down this time and limited the Beermen’s mighty offense to just 80 points.

On the other side, the offense was also starting to click for the Hotshots with six players finishing in double-figures in the big win that halted an 11-game winning run for San Miguel and denying its shot of resetting the franchise record for longest winning run.

Incidentally, the last time SMB tasted defeat was also at the hands of Magnolia, 94-90, in their lone elimination encounter.

Barroca finished with 20 points, six assists and two steals while Dionisio fired 11 points – none bigger than the two booming triples that kept the Beermen at bay after threatening to turn things around when they cut the Hotshots’ lead down to three, 65-62.

Barroca actually started that run with a floater along with Dionisio’s triples before Paul Lee drained another long bomb that capped the telling run and established a 14-point lead, 76-62.

Lee finished with 12 points while import Tyler Bey and Ian Sangalang had 11 apiece. Jio Jalalon was also the other twin-digit scorer after scattering 10 points, seven rebounds and five assists.

SMB high-scoring import Bennie Boatwright still wound up with 27 points but had to take 29 shots to reach his output. CJ Perez backstopped him with 16 points while Fajardo added 11 points and 13 rebounds for the Beermen who missed the services of Jericho Cruz and Terrence Romeo.