Magnolia holds off TNT in season opener
PRESEASON play gold standard Magnolia carried over its hot run into the season proper, topping TNT, 110-102, in the opener of the PBA 48th Season Commissioner’s Cup at the Smart Araneta Coliseum Sunday.
The Hotshots showed good promise with import Tyler Bey, pulling off a triumphant season debut against a TNT side with a diminished firepower sans RR Pogoy and Mikey Williams.
Bey put up a decent act as a former Dallas Maverick, coming through with a 31-20 double-double spiked by crucial slams that closed the door on the Tropang Giga at endgame.
The scoring champ in the Israeli League earlier this year, the 6-foot-7 Bey went 11-of-24 from the field and 8-of-9 from the stripe in his PBA debut also marked by three steals and one assist in 43 minutes of action.
And the local support was there with Mark Barroca and Paul Lee scoring 19 and 17 points, respectively, and four others contributing at least eight apiece.
“It’s great (winning our first game). I handled the adversity, with the coaching staff and my teammates there with me. And I appreciate it,” said Bey.
“This guy was banged-up but he kept playing,” said coach Chito Victolero of his import.
Bey and his teammates took control for most of the way, making good use of their deeper bench against the TNT side which banked heavily on Quincy Miller and Calvin Oftana.
Miller led all scorers with 37 points while Oftana fired 28, including seven three-pointers.
Alas, the Tropang Giga were blasted, 18-41, on bench points.
Barroca led the Magnolia second group alongside Ian Sangalang and Aris Dionisio as they played a big part, helping the Hotshots to a lead as big as 19.
The Magnolia coach was far from impressed, though.
“We need to be consistent. In the first half, we were leading pero may time na nag-re-relax. May mental lapses, at doon sila (Tropa) nakaka-pag rally,” said Victolero.
“Yung 11-0 (in the preseason) tapos na yon. We have to start again,” Victolero also said. “That’s in the past, and we’re now looking at the future. We need to be consistent.” (SB)
The Scores:
Magnolia 110 – Bey 31, Barroca 19, Lee 17, Dionisio 9, Sangalang 9, Dela Rosa 8, Laput 8, Jalalon 5, Ahanmisi 4, Tratter 0, Eriobu 0.
TNT 102 – Miller 37, Oftana 28, K.Williams 14, Ganuelas-Rosser 6, Castro 5, Cruz 5, Ponferrada 3, Aurin 0, Reyes 0, Tungcab 0, Heruela 0.
Quarters: 26-16, 56-49, 81-73, 110-102 (LVBET)