LIVE UPDATES: PBA Commissioner’s Cup playoffs January 17

2023 PBA Commissioner’s Cup quarterfinals Schedule (January 17)

Philsports Arena

4 p.m. Phoenix Fuel Masters vs Meralco Bolts
8 p.m. Magnolia Hotshots vs TNT Tropang Giga

PBA: Meralco coach Luigi Trillo lauds gritty Phoenix after tough battle

Meralco Bolts' coach Luigi Trillo PBA

Meralco Bolts’ coach Luigi Trillo. –MARLO CUETO/INQUIRER.net

MANILA, Philippines—There was nothing easy about how Meralco escaped Phoenix to force a do-or-die game for a spot in the PBA Commissioner’s Cup semifinals.

Coach Luigi Trillo acknowledged the a big part of the Bolts’ struggle came at the hands of the Fuel Masters’ “three musketeers,” which consisted of Ken Tuffin, Javee Mocon and Jason Perkins.

“Those ‘three amigos’ there, we call them the ‘three musketeers,’ Tuffin, Mocon and Perk… We got to match their intensity, toughness and play as tough as them,” said Trillo with Inquirer Sports after their 116-107 victory over Phoenix in triple overtime at Philsports Arena on Wednesday.

Video: Magnolia import Tyler Bey and coach Chito Victolero after winning over TNT

PBA: Tyler Bey propels Magnolia past TNT and into semis

Tyler Bey sparks Magnolia Hotshots into the PBA Commissioner’s Cup semifinals. –MARLO CUETO/INQUIRER.net

MANILA, Philippines–Tyler Bey led the charge in sending Magnolia to the semifinals of the PBA Commissioner’s Cup at the expense of quarters foe TNT, 109-94, Wednesday at Philsports Arena in Pasig City.

Bey finished with 41 points, 13 rebounds, five steals and three blocks as the Hotshots pulled away late in the third to become the first team to reach the Final Four of the season’s only import-laden conference.

Magnolia would lead by 19 in the fourth, on its way to having the luxury of waiting for the winner of the quarters clash between Meralco and Phoenix.

PBA Quarterfinals: Magnolia Hotshots (no.1) vs TNT Tropang Giga (no.8)

PBA: Bong Quinto steps up for Meralco Bolts after Cliff Hodge exit

Meralco Bolts’ Bong Quinto in the PBA Commissioner’s Cup quarterfinals. –MARLO CUETO/INQUIREr.net

MANILA, Philippines—Meralco’s Bong Quinto had to dig deep to help the Bolts to force a do-or-die game against Phoenix in the PBA Commissioner’s Cup quarterfinals.

Playing for 44 minutes, Quinto tallied 19 points, four assists and two rebounds to help Meralco emerge victorious over the Fuel Masters in triple overtime, 116-107, at Philsports Arena on Wednesday.

What made the forward’s heroics even more gargantuan was the fact that he had to take on the spot of bruiser Cliff Hodge for two more extra periods.

Video: Meralco’s Bong Quinto and coach Luigi Trillo after win over Phoenix

PBA playoffs: Meralco escapes Phoenix in 3OT to force do-or-die

Chris Newsome leads Meralco Bolts past Phoenix Fuel Masters in the PBA quarterfinals match. –MARLO CUETO/INQUIRER.net

MANILA, Philippines–Meralco needed three overtime periods to hurdle past Phoenix and send their PBA Commissioner’s Cup quarterfinal showdown to a sudden death game with a 116-107 win Wednesday at Philsports Arena in Pasig City.

Chris Newsome rescued the Bolts from the jaws of defeat with a game-tying three at the buzzer in regulation before Bong Quinto came through with a key three in the third extra session to prevent the Fuel Masters from succeeding in their first attempt at making the semifinals.

PBA quarterfinals: Phoenix Fuel Masters (no.4) vs Meralco Bolts (no.5)

Higher-ranked Magnolia, Phoenix open PBA quarterfinals

Phoenix Fuel Masters’ Johnathan Williams in the PBA Commissioner’s Cup. –MARLO CUETO/INQUIRER.net

Phoenix Super LPG no longer has to look far for a motivational quote just to prime itself up when it plunges into the PBA Commissioner’s Cup quarterfinals this Wednesday. Import Johnathan Williams III had since laid things down last weekend.

“Like what ‘J-3’ said, it’s a new season right now—the playoff season,” said coach Jamike Jarin, recalling a postgame huddle his import had on the heels of a sobering loss to TNT on Sunday.

PBA: Christian Standhardinger leads Best Player race

Ginebra’s Christian Standhardinger leads the Best Player of the Conference race. –MARLO CUETO/INQUIRER.net

MANILA, Philippines—At the end of the PBA Commissioner’s Cup elimination round, Ginebra’s Christian Standhardinger emerged as the leading candidate for the Best Player of the Conference (BPC) award.

Standhardinger averaged 17.3 points, 9.6 rebounds, 5.3 assists and 1.2 steals per game which propelled him atop the BPC race after 11 games.

PBA playoffs: TNT has tools to battle top-ranked Magnolia

Rahlir Hollis-Jefferson (with ball) has drawn raves from coaching staff as a last-minute import replacement. —MARLO CUETO/INQUIRER.net

TNT coach Jojo Lastimosa could hardly enjoy his charges’ 116-96 win over Phoenix Super LPG on Sunday night—even if it gifted the Tropang Giga the last playoff spot in the PBA Commissioner’s Cup.

He knew exactly what it meant: Facing the top-seeded team of the conference in the knockout stage.

“Magnolia. How about that?” he said with a deep sigh as he made his way back to the team’s dugout at PhilSports Arena in Pasig City.

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