Magnolia Hotshots’ Jio Jalalon. –PBA IMAGES
MANILA, Philippines–Jio Jalalon put on another all-around performance that kept Magnolia unbeaten in the PBA Commissioner’s Cup with a key play in the third quarter of Friday’s 99-72 rout of NLEX at Philsports Arena in Pasig City.
Jalalon came through with a steal off Road Warriors’ new import Stokley Chaffee Jr. before racing down on the other end to feed Mark Barroca for the layup with over six minutes left in the said period.
That sequence allowed the Hotshots to extend the lead to four, and it also sparked the big run that eventually turned a tight contest into a lopsided scoreline at the final buzzer.
“We couldn’t scout their import during the first and second quarter and we were kind of surprised with the explosiveness he showed,” Jalalon said in Filipino.
“I had for him to turn back so that I could have an opportunity to grab the ball without being seen [by Chaffee],” added the PBA Press Corps Defensive Player of the Year winner.
The energetic guard finished with 11 points, eight rebounds, eight assists and four steals to power Magnolia to a 5-0 record and remain as the only team with a perfect record in the season-opening conference.
Barroca was equally good for Magnolia with 19 points, five rebounds, nine assists and three steals as the Hotshots had to see off a Road Warriors side that kept things close until the early part of the third.
Big men James Laput and Aris Dionisio also benefited from some of Jalalon’s passes to also produce baskets that made the margin even bigger.