PBA: Magnolia matches franchise-best start, clips San Miguel Beer

Magnolia import Tyler Bey shoots against San Miguel Beer in the PBA Commissioner’s Cup.–PBA IMAGES

MANILA, Philippines–Magnolia held off San Miguel Beer’s late charge on Sunday night to pocket a 94-90 victory in the PBA Commissioner’s Cup.

Import Tyler Bey scored 31 points and pulled 21 rebounds to lead all of the Hotshots at PhilSports Arena in Pasig City, while James Laput and three other locals chipped in at least 11 points each to keep the club’s record spotless in seven games.

“With or without June Mar (Fajardo), it’s always going to be a grinding game. They’re a champion team and their mindset will always be great and we needed to match that,” said head coach Chito Victolero.

“We need this kind of game going to the latter part of the playoffs because we know playoff games are like this,” he added.

The Beermen, who were missing the seven-time Most Valuable Player and several other standouts, pulled within two behind a Jericho Cruz triple with 33 ticks left. But with its stars battling frosty shooting, the powerhouse club sputtered.

Import Ivan Aska had 29 points, Cruz 16, while Mo Tautuaa added 12 more as San Miguel slid to a 3-3 mark, unable to rebound from an embarrassing loss to an import-less NorthPort two nights ago.

Magnolia’s current streak matches the franchise’s all-time best start set in 2008 under coach Ryan Gregorio, the first crew to go 7-0 since TNT did it in the 2019 Governors’ Cup.

The Scores:

MAGNOLIA 94 – Bey 31, Laput 14, Jalalon 11, Barroca 10, Dionisio 10, Dela Rosa 6, Sangalang 4, Ahanmisi 3, Lee 2, Reavis 2, Tratter 1, Mendoza 0

SAN MIGUEL 90 – Aska 29, Cruz 16, Tautuaa 12, Lassiter 9, Brondial 9, Ross 7, Perez 4, Mallilin 2, Bulanadi 2,

Quarterscores: 17-19, 44-39, 68-67, 94-90.