MAGNOLIA remained hot coming off the long break, scoring a 107-101 drubbing of Blackwater to keep its winning streak going in the PBA Governors Cup on Friday night at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium.
Import KJ Buffen came through with five straight points including a clutch three-point shot with 2:10 remaining to make it a 105-97 contest that kept the rallying Bossing at bay.
It was the fourth straight win for the Hotshots who improved to a 5-3 record and kept solo second in Group B.
Buffen finished with a monster double-double of 24 points and 20 rebounds in the win.
Coach LA Tenorio said it helped that the Hotshots were the first team to resume practice during the 58-day break when the league gave way to the Gilas Pilipinas preparations for the FIBA World Cup qualifiers and the 20th Asian Games.
He was out for almost a month as he's with the Gilas Pilipinas team, leaving the Hotshots in the care of his deputies led by national youth coach Juno Sauler.
"The coaching staff really made this team ready," said Tenorio.
"Isa lang naman ang sinabi ko sa kanila before I left for the Gilas stint. I told them we had a good momentum, sayang lang naputol," he said of Magnolia's three-game winning run prior to the long break. "During the break I told them we don't need to think na yung break na ito is just like yung off-season (break). Itong break na ito is for the playoffs."
Just like Buffen, Jerom Lastimosa proved to be on playoff mode with 24 points and seven assists, so did Zavier Lucero, with 17 points, three rebounds, and two block shots coming off his first ever stint with Gilas Pilipinas in the Asiad.
After Buffen made it an eight-point game, Blackwater had one fight remaining and was able to close in at 105-101 with 39 seconds remaining.
But import Kentrell Barkley lost the ball off a Chris Koon steal after Lastimosa missed on a jumper in Magnolia's last play, sending the Bossing to their fourth loss in seven outings.
Barkley almost finished with a triple double with 20 points, 13 rebounds, and eight assists, behind Sedrick Barefield's game-high of 24 points.
The scores
Magnolia 107 -- Buffen 24, Lastimosa 24 Lucero 17, Koon 9, Andrada 9, Sangalang 7, Gomez de Liano 7, Barroca 6, Dela Rosa 4, Alfaro 0, Laput 0.
Blackwater 101 -- Barefield 24, Barkley 20, DiGregorio 15, Ilagan 13, Panopio 9, Demusis 8, Una 6, Tratter 2, Cruz-Dumont 2, Murrell 2, Escoto 0, Mendoza 0, David 0, Austria 0.
Quarters: 23-25; 53-50; 84-75; 107-101.
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