2023 PBA Commissioner’s Cup semis schedule (January 24)
Smart Araneta Coliseum
4 p.m. Phoenix Fuel Masters vs Magnolia Hotshots
8 p.m. Ginebra Gin Kings vs San Miguel Beermen
Photos: Ginebra vs San Miguel
Video: San Miguel’s CJ Perez and coach Jorge Gallent after semis Game 1 win
PBA: San Miguel withstands Ginebra to take semis opener
San Miguel Beermen’s CJ Perez in Game 1 of the PBA Commissioner’s Cup semifinals. –MARLO CUETO/INQUIRER.net
MANILA, Philippines–The breaks went into San Miguel Beer’s way down the stretch and outlasted Barangay Ginebra, 92-90, Wednesday to draw first blood in their best-of-five semifinal series in the PBA Commissioner’s Cup at Smart Araneta Coliseum.
San Miguel made just two of its last six free throws, all coming from June Mar Fajardo after Ginebra tied the count entering the final minute, but made up for it with key stops in the end to escape with a win that could set the tone for a hard-fought encounter between the sister teams.
PBA semis Game 1: Ginebra Gin Kings vs San Miguel Beermen
FINAL: San Miguel Beer outlasts Barangay Ginebra, 92-90, and win Game 1 of their best-of-five semifinal series in the PBA Commissioner’s Cup. | @jonasterradoINQ pic.twitter.com/TgCcTQMDhS
— INQUIRER Sports (@INQUIRERSports) January 24, 2024
GINEBRA TURNOVER. IT’S OVER… for Game 1, at least.
San Miguel wins, 92-90. | @MeloFuertesINQ pic.twitter.com/0GvaNV8U3d
— INQUIRER Sports (@INQUIRERSports) January 24, 2024
Barangay Ginebra overcomes early deficit to tie San Miguel Beer, 47-all, at the break in Game 1 of their PBA Commissioner’s Cup semifinal series @INQUIRERSports
— Jonas Terrado (@jonasterradoINQ) January 24, 2024
SWISH Ahanmisi.
Ginebra within, 29-34, 6:58 2q #PBAAngatAngLaban pic.twitter.com/GwNneIsGgv
— PBA (@pbaconnect) January 24, 2024
Ahanmisi finds Aguilar.
Ginebra trails, 20-24. #PBAAngatAngLaban pic.twitter.com/478rhqKYAG
— PBA (@pbaconnect) January 24, 2024
ScoTHREE Thompson! #PBAAngatAngLaban pic.twitter.com/BAKJj2tqhN
— PBA (@pbaconnect) January 24, 2024
PHOTOS: Magnolia vs Phoenix
PBA: Defense is key for Magnolia in semis Game 1 win over Phoenix
Magnolia Hotshots against Phoenix Fuel Masters in the PBA Commissioner’s Cup Game 1 semifinals. –MARLO CUETO/INQUIREr.net
MANILA, Philippines—Magnolia coach Chito Victolero said that clamping down on defense was the central plan of the Hotshots against the pesky Phoenix squad in Game 1 of PBA Commissioner’s Cup semifinal series on Wednesday.
The Hotshots took a close 82-79 win over the Fuel Masters where the team was able to follow Victolero’s plan of keeping coach Jamike Jarin’s wards struggling on offense.
“It’s our game plan to limit the score to under 90 points because that’s our average in points allowed. For the whole conference, we’re the number one team in defense so we like it to be like that,” said the top coach.
Video: Magnolia coach Chito Victolero and Tyler Bey
Magnolia survives Phoenix in PBA semis opener
Magnolia import Tyler Bey hangs on to the rim against Phoenix in the PBA Commissioner’s Cup semifinals.–MARLO CUETO/INQUIRER.net
MANILA, Philippines–Magnolia hurdled a grindout battle with Phoenix to win 82-79 and open the PBA Commissioner’s Cup semifinals with a one-game lead in their best-of-five series Wednesday at Smart Araneta Coliseum.
Tyler Bey’s three-point play off a Paul Lee drop off with 1:27 remaining in the fourth quarter broke a 78-all tie which allowed the Hotshots to gain control for good and draw first blood in the matchup between the top team of the eliminations and the unexpected semifinalists.
PBA semis Game 1: Phoenix Fuel Masters vs Magnolia Hotshots
FINAL: Magnolia slips past Phoenix, 82-79, to take Game 1 of their best-of-five PBA Commissioner’s Cup semifinal series. | @jonasterradoINQ pic.twitter.com/JEn6de9LPc
— INQUIRER Sports (@INQUIRERSports) January 24, 2024
AND-OOONE 🗣️🗣️🗣️
Tyler Bey completes a three-point play to give Magnolia an 81-78 lead with a minute and a half to go. | @MeloFuertesINQ pic.twitter.com/gcOYidToNM
— INQUIRER Sports (@INQUIRERSports) January 24, 2024
The Jason Perkins-Calvin Abueva matchup ensues. 🤌🤌🤌
This is, after all, what Perkins wanted before the semis. | @MeloFuertesINQ
READ MORE: https://t.co/gRlrSgZh8o pic.twitter.com/SLFUgSqZGa
— INQUIRER Sports (@INQUIRERSports) January 24, 2024
WHO WILL DRAW FIRST BLOOD?
No team is giving an inch as action begins in the fourth quarter of Game 1 between Magnolia and Phoenix with the Fuel Masters leading, 63-61. @INQUIRERSports pic.twitter.com/sLbebQbG37
— Rommel Fuertes Jr. (@MeloFuertesINQ) January 24, 2024
Phoenix leads Magnolia, 41-38, at the half in Game 1 of their best-of-five PBA Commissioner’s Cup semifinal series. | @jonasterradoINQ
— INQUIRER Sports (@INQUIRERSports) January 24, 2024
Jazul! P3YBORIT!
Phoenix gets the 41-38 upperhand, 5.5 2q #PBAAngatAngLaban pic.twitter.com/ASWdSYaIwD
— PBA (@pbaconnect) January 24, 2024
PBA semis: Magnolia takes on Phoenix, San Miguel battles Ginebra
Coaches in the Final Four, from top left, clockwise, Ginebra’s Tim Cone, Jorge Gallent of San Miguel, Jamike Jarin of Phoenix and Magnolia’s Chito Victolero. —PHOTOS BY AUGUST DELA CRUZ
If how these four clubs finished classification in the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) Commissioner’s Cup were any indication, both best-of-five semifinal series that start on Wednesday have the promise to be slam-bang matchups.
Top-seeded Magnolia, traditional powerhouse San Miguel Beer, defending champion Barangay Ginebra and party crasher Phoenix Super LPG—which were all bunched in the top four with no more than a game separating the last three from the Hotshots—jockey for seats in the championship series of a tournament many believe is wide open with Justin Brownlee out for the crowd darlings.
Phoenix starts hard, long journey to reach PBA’s Promised Land
Jason Perkins (with ball) and the Fuel Masters refused to be held down by the Bolts despite a slight bump at the start. Phoenix will now be shooting to get to uncharted waters and hopefully go all the way. —AUGUST DELA CRUZ
The revelries inside the Phoenix Super LPG locker room came in short bursts on Sunday night.
Understandably so. The Fuel Masters, after all, still have two more mountains to scale in the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) Commissioner’s Cup before they go wild on a celebration for the ages.
The first of those two treks will begin on Wednesday against Magnolia, the league’s top-seeded club. But with a surplus of leaders and hungry youngsters, head coach Jamike Jarin is liking his chances.