The Magnolia Hotshots marked the PBA’s 50th anniversary with a strong statement win.
With standout performances from Zav Lucero and Ian Sangalang, the Chito Victolero-led squad defeated the Converge FiberXers, 83-71, in their Season 49 Philippine Cup clash on Tuesday night at the Rizal Memorial Coliseum in Manila.
“We always want our players to stay fresh, especially our veterans, so we can rely on them in crucial moments,” Victolero explained in the postgame press conference, emphasizing the importance of balance between youth and experience.
“Credit to our young players—they’re buying into our system, and I think it’s working well,” he added.
Lucero once again impressed, tallying 18 points, five rebounds, two assists, and two blocks to lift Magnolia to a 2-0 record. Sangalang matched his 18 points and added nine rebounds along with four assists.
The game was still close in the fourth quarter, with Magnolia holding a slim 67-62 lead. But Lucero and Sangalang combined for four quick points to widen the gap to nine.
Rome Dela Rosa added a layup with 3:21 remaining to extend the lead to 76-65. He continued his fourth-quarter surge by sinking a three-pointer with just 54 seconds to go, pushing the advantage to 81-69.
Dela Rosa finished with nine points, while Russel Escoto contributed a solid 11-point performance off the bench.
On the Converge side, Schonny Winston and Justin Arana led the way with 14 points apiece. Justine Baltazar and Kevin Racal each chipped in 11, but their efforts weren’t enough as Converge dropped to 1-2 in the standings.