Photo by Tristan Tamayo/INQUIRER.net
MANILA, Philippines—There’s an old adage in basketball that says defense wins championships.
That cliché could ring true anew for Magnolia on Wednesday night.
The Hotshots, known for their vaunted defense, smothered defending champion San Miguel Beer to just five points in the second quarter in Game 7 of the 2019 PBA Philippine Cup Finals.
The Beermen’s five-point second period tied the all-time lowest scoring quarter in a PBA Finals game, as per the league’s chief statistician Fidel Mangonon.
Magnolia is leading San Miguel, 38-25, at the break as of posting.
The Hotshots held the Beermen to just 32 percent from the field after two quarters.
Despite flaunting the most talented roster in the league led by reigning five-time MVP June Mar Fajardo, San Miguel shot just 15 percent from the floor in the second period with only Fajardo and Arwind Santos able to make baskets in the dreadful quarter.
Magnolia big man Ian Sangalang had 13 points to lead all scorers at the half.
Fajardo and Santos have nine each for San Miguel, whose four-year reign in the All-Filipino conference is in jeopardy.