Magnolia maintains its flawless record in the Philippine Cup, demolishing Phoenix for a fourth consecutive victory.
In a thrilling match-up of the PBA Philippine Cup, the Magnolia Hotshots emerged victorious against the Phoenix Fuel Masters with a score of 118-99.
Mark Barroca led the charge for Magnolia, scoring 18 points, grabbing 6 rebounds, and dishing out 5 assists. Paul Lee and Zavier Lucero also contributed significantly, scoring 17 and 17 points respectively. The duo also managed to secure double-doubles, with Lucero adding 11 rebounds to his tally. Ian Sangalang was another standout player for Magnolia, scoring a game-high 20 points, making 9 out of 11 shots.
On the other hand, RR Garcia was Phoenix's top scorer, netting 22 points, making 8 out of 12 field goal attempts. Kai Ballungay put up a valiant effort, scoring a game-high 25 points and grabbing 15 rebounds.
The game started closely contested, with Magnolia leading Phoenix by only 2 points at the halfway mark of the second quarter. However, the Hotshots managed to extend their lead to 65-48 before the end of the first half. The lead reached as many as 28 points during the final frame of the game.
Despite a strong comeback attempt from Phoenix, the Hotshots held on to their lead, securing the win. With this victory, Magnolia improves their record to 2-2 in the PBA Philippine Cup, while Phoenix now has a 1-3 record, tied with Terrafirma Dyip in the standings.
It's worth noting that the team currently in first position in the PBA Philippine Cup is the San Miguel Beermen. As the tournament progresses, it will be interesting to see how the teams fare in their upcoming matches.
