At A Glance
- Paul Lee spearheaded a late pull away as Magnolia turned back NorthPort, 106-97 in the PBA Season 49 Philippine Cup out-of-town game at the Candon City Arena in Ilocos Sur on Saturday, May 24.
Paul Lee spearheaded a late pull away as Magnolia turned back NorthPort, 106-97 in the PBA Season 49 Philippine Cup out-of-town game at the Candon City Arena in Ilocos Sur on Saturday, May 24.
After trailing for the most part of the contest, the Hotshots, led by Lee, unloaded back-breaking 17-5 run in the payoff period, turning a precarious 89-88 lead into a comfortable 103-90 cushion to not only reclaim the top spot but also assure themselves a place in the quarterfinals.
Magnolia remained alone atop the standings with a 7-1 record after successfully getting back on track following its first taste of defeat the last time.
Playing a huge part in the bounce-back win was Lee, who fired 16 points including a booming four-pointer midway through the final frame, triggering the telling run. He dished out six assists and collared five rebounds.
Zav Lucero also anchored both sides of the floor for the Hotshots with his 20 points and seven rebounds to go with three steals and two blocks while Mark Barroca and Peter Alfaro chipped in 15 and 13 points, respectively.
Jerom Lastimosa and Aris Dionisio were the other double-digit scorers for Magnolia with 10 points each.
Magnolia, however, struggled to keep up with the pace of NorthPort, which utilized its quickness to outrun the Hotshots on fastbreak, 29-12.
The Hotshots, though, kept themselves within striking distance for the most parts before the team began tightening their defensive screws in the final frame.
The Batang Pier led by as many as 10 points behind the efforts of William Navarro, who stepped up in the continuous absence of Arvin Tolentino. His 27 points, though, went for naught.
Sidney Onwubere had 19 points while Jio Jalalon finished 16 points in a losing effort for NorthPort, which slid to their sixth straight defeat for a 1-6 slate.