ROS seals QF bonus with win vs Magnolia in PBA's 1st Bahrain battle

Jhonard Clarito shone brightly in the PBA's first game in Manama. PBA Images

By Ivan Saldajeno

MANILA--Rain or Shine earned a coveted twice-to-beat advantage in the PBA Philippine Cup quarterfinals after beating Magnolia, 101-92, in the league's first-ever game in Bahrain early Tuesday (Philippine Time).

In front of a good-sized crowd at the Khalifa City Sports Stadium in Manama, Gian Mamuyac delivered the dagger for the Elasto Painters, scoring back-to-back baskets while forcing a crucial turnover on Zav Lucero that capped the Hotshots' frustrations.

Jhonard Clarito led ROS, which moved up to 8-2, with 21 points on 7-of-11 shooting, including a perfect 2-for-2 from three-point range, 11 rebounds, two assists, one steal, and one block.

Mamuyac and Caelan Tiongson each added 14 points as the team looks to at least finish the elimination round inside the Top 2 with a victory against Ginebra early Thursday (Philippine Time).

Mark Barroca led Magnolia, which failed to score a field goal in the last six minutes of action, with 14 points, four rebounds, and five assists off the bench.

The team dropped to a four-way tie for fourth place with Meralco, Converge, and NLEX, and now it must beat TNT on Sunday night at the Smart Araneta Coliseum in Quezon City to have a better chance of securing the quarterfinal incentive.