PBA: Magnolia dominates SMB to get back on winning track

Magnolia Hotshots. PBA IMAGES

MANILA, Philippines—Magnolia got back on the winning track dominating San Miguel, 104-87, to maintain its hold of the top spot of the 2021-22 PBA Governors’ Cup Sunday at Ynares Center in Antipolo.

The Hotshots, who lost their previous game against NorthPort, improved to 7-1 while Shabazz Muhammad had a rude welcome to the league as the Beermen slipped to 5-4.

Never letting up in the final two quarters, Magnolia erected a 23-point lead, 87-64, early in the fourth with Jio Jalalon’s floater punctuating a 20-5 run across the third and fourth frames.

Paul Lee’s triple capped off a 17-4 run that gave Magnolia a 46-37 lead with 4:43 to play in the first half effectively putting his team in the driver’s seat in the contest.

Too easy for Paul Lee. #PBAiTuloyAngLaban pic.twitter.com/loiUSBmkSI

— PBA (@pbaconnect) February 27, 2022

“We just tried to bounce back hard for this game, this one is a character game for us,” said Magnolia head coach Chito Victolero. “We tried to move forward, we had a bad start last game, and although we finished strong it just wasn’t enough.”

“For this game we had to start strong but we had to finish stronger because going to the playoffs we want a proper mindset.”

Mike Harris finished with a 26-point, 13-rebound double-double for the Hotshots while Paul Lee also had 26 points with five rebounds, five assists, and two steals.

Muhammad had 27 points, on 11-of-25 shooting, and 17 rebounds to lead the Beermen while CJ Perez added 18 points and eight rebounds.