Magnolia now has momentum really built up going to the playoffs following a 93-76 win over Meralco last 10 May in a match winding up their PBA Commissioner’s Cup elimination campaign at the SM Mall of Asia Arena.
Clinton Chapman scored 19 points while Paul Lee boomed in a four-pointer and a triple that sparked a big second quarter breakaway that fueled the Hotshots’ surge to as much as two 21-point leads, the last 51-30.
Magnolia stumbled a bit in the third period that enabled Meralco enough of an impetus to whittle the deficit to single digits and even threaten at 71-80, still 6:22 to go.
Chapman and Javi Gomez de Liano, however, were there to lead a balanced finishing kick by the Hotshots as they went on to notch a third straight win for a 7-5 record overall and a lock on No. 5.
"The past three games, actually, we’ve been really on a playoff mentality already. I challenged the players, I challenged my team, that these kind of games eto ‘yung magbibigay sa amin ng chance going to the next level," said Magnolia coach LA Tenorio.
"Not necessarily going to the semis ... moving forward. We have a goal as a team so I think we are on the right track na gusto namin, whether this conference or next conference. You never know," added Tenorio.
"But what I really like about my team right now is how they responded to that challenge. They responded really well, not only in the games but in practice. They’re really locked in, they’re buying into the system na gusto kong iparating sa team. Iyon ang maganda sa team na ito."
The eliminations officially wind after Barangay Ginebra beat TNT in the second match. Meralco is at number 4 and will have a twice-to-beat advantage against Magnolia when they meet this Wednesday.
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