PBA: Magnolia shuts down NorthPort to secure playoffs berth

Magnolia Hotshots’ Aris Dionisio during a PBA Governors’ Cup game. –MARLO CUETO/INQUIRER.net

MANILA, Philippines–Magnolia stifled NorthPort Friday night, 110-94, to get back on track in style and clinch a playoff spot in the PBA Governors’ Cup.

Aris Dionisio played the finest basketball of his life, scoring career-best 30 points on a franchise-best nine triples to help the Hotshots pull through in an All-Filipino clash at Ninoy Aquino Stadium in Malate, Manila.

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“The two things I put on our board: ‘Mind and heart,’ because I thought we needed to be more focused and have more desire to win because this was an important game for us. This was one of the games we needed to get to the quarters,” head coach Chito Victolero said on the heels of the triumph that had the club rising to 5-4 win-loss in Group A.

Zav Lucero added 16 points, Joseph Eriobu, Calvin Abueva, and Ian Sangalang all chipped in twin-digit scores to help hold the fort while import Shabazz Muhammad continued to cope with a knee injury he sustained in the loss to TNT earlier this week.

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NorthPort, which was playing without workhorse reinforcement Venky Jois who went under the knife to repair a right foot injury, also battled with just its locals in a losing stand that officially kissed their playoff hopes goodbye.

Arvin Tolentino had 25 points, Damie Cuntapay 13, while Jio Jalalon 11 as the Batang Pier dropped to a 3-6 record with a game against TNT left to play.

Magnolia will have a chance to improve its quarterfinal positioning when it takes on Converge for the final game of its elimination phase.