PBA: Magnolia routs Blackwater in Ricardo Ratliffe’s return

Magnolia’s Ricardo Ratliffe.–PBA IMAGES

MANILA, Philippines–Calvin Abueva avoided a serious neck injury after being rushed to the hospital due to a collision that marred Magnolia’s 118-100 win over Blackwater in its PBA Commissioner’s Cup opener Thursday at Ninoy Aquino Stadium.

The Hotshots said that Abueva is expected to be discharged as tests came out negative after getting hit inadvertently by Bossing rookie Sedrick Barefield with over seven minutes left in the second quarter.

Abueva had to wear a neck brace and was taken to an ambulance on a stretcher as a precaution.

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Magnolia overcame that scary situation and leaned on a big game from returning import Ricardo Ratliffe to begin its campaign in the midseason conference in a rather bittersweet way.

Ratliffe finished with 30 points, 18 rebounds, five assists and two blocks in his first game for the Hotshots since the 2017 Commissioner’s Cup.

Jerrick Ahanmisi picked up where he left off in the Governors’ Cup and delivered 21 points with one made four-pointer, Mark Barroca posted 15 points and eight assists and Zav Lucero added 13 points and nine rebounds.

Magnolia finally saw the debut of rookie Jerom Lastimosa, who missed the first conference while in the tailend of his recovery from an ACL injury he sustained while playing his final UAAP season for Adamson in 2023.

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Lastimosa came off the bench to produce nine points and four assists in 24 minutes for the Hotshots.

Import George King went for 42 points with 12 rebounds and five assists, but Blackwater got into a big hole after Ratliffe led Magnolia’s pullaway in the third.

Barefield scored 24 points for the Bossing in the defeat.