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| Tyler Bey completed Magnolia's biggest comeback since 2006 with four straight free throws. Dennis Acosta |
MANILA—Magnolia survived its first acid test of the young PBA season as the team completed a comeback from 26 points down to beat Ginebra, 93-91, in the first Manila Clasico of the 2023-2024 calendar at the Smart Araneta Coliseum in Quezon City.
The Hotshots fell to a huge hole in the first half as the Gin Kings raced to a 51-25 lead with five minutes left in the second quarter and entered halftime up by 25, 60-35.
However, Magnolia turned to its defense in the second half, holding Ginebra to just 31 points even as Tyler Bey, who was struggling from the free throw line, hit four straight charities to put the Purefoods franchise up, 92-91, with 11 seconds left.
Scottie Thompson had a chance to give the Gin Kings the lead again, but he missed on a layup against Mark Barroca's defense and Jio Jalalon secured the rebound with six seconds left.
Jalalon somehow gave Ginebra a chance to at least force overtime as he only made a split from the free throw line, but Christian Standhardinger air-balled a right elbow jumper as time ran out.
Bey finished with 31 points on 11-for-18 field goals, 10 rebounds, two blocks, and five steals, while Jalalon added 15 points, five rebounds, three assists, and one steal for Magnolia, which is now 4-0, the only undefeated team left in the season-opening conference, after notching its biggest comeback in 17 years.
Tony Bishop and Maverick Ahanmisi each had 21 points with Bishop also grabbing 13 rebounds and Ahanmisi tallied 12 for Ginebra, which fell to 1-1 following its biggest collapse since 2019.
Standhardinger and Thompson each came close to a triple-double with Standhardinger chipping in 13 points, nine rebounds, and eight assists and Thompson finishing with 12 points, nine assists, and eight rebounds.
The Scores:
MAGNOLIA 93 – Bey 31, Jalalon 15, Barroca 13, Lee 9, Sangalang 8, Dela Rosa 6, Ahanmisi 5, Reavis 0, Tratter 0, Eriobu 0, Dionisio 0
GINEBRA 91 – Ahanmisi 21, Bishop 21, Standhardinger 13, J.Aguilar 12, Thompson 12, Pringle 9, Pinto 3, Cu 0, Pessumal 0
QUARTERS: 16-34, 35-60, 64-72, 93-91
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