A defense-first Rome dela Rosa becoming one of the top scorers says a lot about the opponent's defense.
Dela Rosa formed part of a balanced Magnolia attack against a porous NorthPort on the way to a 129-109 victory that secured their quarterfinal spot in the PBA Governors’ Cup on Thursday night at the Smart-Araneta Coliseum.
Magnolia vs NorthPort recap
Coming in averaging just five points in his first eight games, Dela Rosa fired 19 points off the bench, becoming one of six Hotshots who scored in double digits against the Batang Pier.
The Hotshots got back on the winning track to improve to 5-4 overall and climb to a share of sixth spot with Meralco, sealing their spot in the playoffs alongside the Bolts and Barangay Ginebra.
Magnolia also snapped the Batang Pier’s two-game winning streak, dropping them to 2-7.
Early on, though, the Hotshots couldn’t get their usual shots in, allowing the Batang Pier to stay toe-to-toe and knotting the count at the end of the first quarter.
But Magnolia’s shots finally found their marks while the team also turned to its trademark defense in the second quarter where they outscored the Batang Pier, 42-16, to build a 26-point halftime advantage, which ballooned to 30 points in the third quarter.
“In the first quarter, we were so frustrated at our shot, our body language was not there. And our defense, naapektuhan na rin. Good thing, naka-recover kami,” Hotshots coach Chito Victolero said.
“We played good basketball after that and we shared the ball, we sacrificed, and we gave the effort that we want,” he added.
Antonio Hester led the offense with 28 points, 14 boards, three assists, and one steal in 30 minutes, while Mark Barroca added 21 points, eight assists, and two rebounds off the bench.
Dela Rosa completed his timely offense with six rebounds in almost 32 minutes of action, while Calvin Abueva, Paul Lee, and Aris Dionisio where the other Hotshots who scored in double figures.
Magnolia had an abundance of scorers that Jio Jalalon, who came in averaging 11.8 points, didn't need to carry his usual load, scoring just three points on 1-of-6 shooting, although filled the stats sheet with seven rebounds and five assists, in 27 minutes.
Kevin Murphy and Robert Bolick comined for 61 points, but failed to get enough support from the Batang Pier outside Joshua Munzon’s 11 markers.
The scores:
MAGNOLIA 129 – Hester 28, Barroca 21, Dela Rosa 19, Abueva 18, Lee 16, Dionisio 15, Escoto 7, Jalalon 3, Mendoza 2, Reavis 0, Corpuz 0, Ahanmisi 0, Wong 0, Zaldivar 0
NORTHPORT 109 – Murphy 31, Bolick 30, Munzon 11, Calma 9, Chan 8, Taha 6, Tolentino 4, Salado 4, Zamar 3, Sumang 2, Balagasay 1, Caperal 0, Ayaay 0, Santos 0
Quarterscores: 31-31, 73-47, 98-84, 129-109
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