Manny Pacquiao drives to the hoop. Pacquiao scored his first ever point in the PBA.
MANILA, Philippines — For the first time in his PBA career, Kia Motors playing-coach Manny Pacquiao will go home with at least a point in the stat sheet.
Pacquiao appeared in his third game, coming off the bench to start the second quarter for the Carnival, Wednesday night against defending champion Purefoods,
In his first touch of the ball, Pacquiao somehow got the step and drove to the left baseline against Hotshots swingman Allein Maliksi, who was then called for a shooting foul at the 11:24 mark.
Pacquiao bricked his first attempt from the free throw line before sinking the second one to draw cheers from the sparse crowd at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
Feeling it, the 5-foot-6 Pacquiao jacked up two air balls from each wing but he did dish out one assist — also a first in his young pro basketball career — to his 7-foot-3 Puerto Rican import PJ Ramos that cut the Hotshots’ lead to five, 29-24.
The 36-year-old boxing champion Pacquiao was subbed out with 7:20 remaining in the second period.
Purefoods took advantage of Pacquiao’s presence on the floor as it went on a quick 10-1 run for a 29-22 lead in the second quarter. Kia managed to trim it to four before the Sarangani Representative returned to the bench.
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