MARK Barroca led a telling second-quarter run as Magnolia Chicken Timplados beat NLEX, 98-89, on Sunday at the start of their PBA Philippine Cup quarterfinal series at the Smart-Araneta Coliseum.
Barroca scored 11 of his 24 points in the second quarter, where the Hotshots scored 40 points to pull away for good on the way to a 1-0 lead in the best-of-three quarterfinal series.
“Medyo maganda ‘yung execution namin on both ends, the discipline, the effort, the aggressiveness, everything,” said Magnolia coach Chito Victolero.
“We try to sacrifice our individual talent and team ang iniisip namin ngayon. Everybody has to sacrifice. Everybody needs an extra effort para magawa namin ‘yung gusto namin.”
The Magnolia guard already had 18 in the first half and later joined the 5,000-point club, becoming the 94th player to reach the milestone, according to PBA statistics chief Fidel Mangonon.
Third-seeded Magnolia has now won eight straight victories and can wrap up the series in Game Two on Friday at the Filoil EcoOil Centre in San Juan.
The Hotshots were near flawless in the second period as they shot 15-of-17 from the fieldto take a 64-47 lead at half. The sixth-seeded Road Warriors never got close enough to threaten the rest of the way.
Aside from Barroca, five other players scored in double figures for the Hotshots, with Calvin Abueva churning out 13 points and eight rebounds.
NLEX is on the brink of elimination after it played Game One without Kevin Alas and Kris Rosales. Alas is recovering from a hamstring injury while the Road Warriors have given no explanation for Rosales' absence.
In the duo's absence, Anthony Semerad carried the load for NLEX with 19 points, while Don Trollano and Calvin Oftana each had 15 markers.
The scores:
Magnolia 98 – Barroca 24, Lee 13, Abueva 13, Sangalang 12, Corpuz 10, Jalalon 10, Dela Rosa 6, Wong 5, Dionisio 3, Reavis 2, Escoto 0.
NLEX 89 – Semerad 19, Trollano 15, Oftana 15, Nieto 12, Chua 11, Quinahan 8, Paniamogan 3, Soyud 2, Varilla 2, Ighalo 2.
Quarters: 24-26; 64-47; 81-70; 98-89.
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