A PAIR of hard-fought games highlighted the 49th anniversary celebration of the PBA on Wednesday night at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium.
San Miguel kept the solo lead in the Philippine Cup after surviving a huge scare from Terrafirma, 113-110, while Magnolia avoided a three-game skid with a 104-97 win over Northport.
READ Mo Tautuaa heroics rescue SMB from a giant Terrafirma scare
The Beermen have now won five straight games and remain as the only undefeated team in the season-ending conference even as the Hotshots evened their record to 2-2 after stopping the Batang Pier’s winning run at four.
Despite their losses, the Batang Pier (4-2) and Terrafirma Dyip (4-4) remained in the Top 4 of the 12-team standings and well in contention for two twice-to-beat spots in the first round of the playoffs.
Here are the takeaways from the anniversary games of Asia’s first ever play-for-pay league.
1) Mo Tautuaa was in a zone on this day, hitting a season-high 24 points capped by a 3-of-5 shooting from three-point range and scored the Beermen’s last five points to nip the Dyip. The Fil-Tongan veteran engaged fellow big man Isaac Go of Terrafirma in a classic shootout, and won both the battle and the war as San Miguel avoided the upset ax against the highly-improved Terrafirma side.
READ Gallent says Terrafirma now 'a team that knows how to win'
2) Isaac Go also played his best game for the Dyip as he finished with a new career-best of 21 points, all of which came from three-point range. His 7-of-15 shooting from beyond the arc was also a career-high as the former Ateneo stalwart continues to improve in his third year in the league. He also had seven rebounds and four assists in yet another all-around game as part of Terrafirma’s core players of Juami Tiongson, Stephen Holt, Javi Gomez De Liano, and Aldrech Ramos. Too bad he missed his eighth three pointer of the game that could have send the game into overtime.
3) In yet another fine play by a big man, Ian Sangalang reset his career record with a 32-point performance in Magnolia’s win over Northport. The former NCAA MVP also had 10 rebounds to become the fourth player to finish with a 30-10 double-double this season after Leonard Santillan (31 points and 14 rebounds), Arvin Tolentino (31 points and 11 assists), and Robert Bolick (30 points and 15 assists). He scored 22 points in the second half to steer the Hotshots to the win that snapped their two-game skid.
4) Northport rookie Zavier Lucero also played his best outing just six games as a pro player, leading Northport in scoring with 18 points and seven rebounds in a losing cause against the Hotshots. The University of the Philippines product has been one of the many positives for the rising Batang Pier, forming a talented and athletic core that also includes Arvin Tolentino, William Navarro, JM Calma, Joshua Munzon, Fran Yu, Allyn Bulanadi, Paul Zamar, rookie Cade Flores, among others.
Get more of the latest sports news & updates on SPIN.ph
NOTICE ON UNAUTHORIZED AND UNLAWFUL USE, PUBLICATION, AND/OR DISSEMINATION OF SPIN.PH CONTENT: Please be notified that any unauthorized and unlawful use, publication, and/or dissemination of Spin.ph’s content and/or materials is a direct violation of its legal and exclusive rights to the same, and shall be subject to appropriate legal action/s.
