By REYNALD MAGALLON
Aris Dionisio shot the lights out and Magnolia simply rode his hands to dispatch NorthPort, 110-94 in their all-Filipino duel and complete the quarterfinals cast in the Group A of the PBA Season 49 Governors’ Cup at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium on Friday, Sept. 20.
Dionisio was on target from deep all-game long, draining a franchise-best nine triples in a rare offensive show for the defensive-minded Hotshots and enough to formally book their tickets to the next round.
The 29-year-old wingman started out waxing hot, burying four triples to score 12 of his career-high 30 points in the opening frame. That scoring outburst allowed the Hotshots to race to a 29-13 start at the end of the first 12 minutes before padding the lead to as high as 26 points in the ensuing quarters.
With the win, Magnolia improved to a 5-4 record, sealing its place inside the Group A Top 4 picture and eliminating NorthPort, which fell to a 4-5 slate after the loss, in the process.
The Batang Pier’s loss also meant victory for the Converge FiberXers which, with a 5-4 slate, are also now through to the quarterfinals.
Incidentally, Magnolia and Converge are still set to play each other on Monday, Sept. 23 with the positioning and the chance to avoid the Group B top seed in the quarterfinals crossover at stake.
Zav Lucero also continued to be a force inside the paint with a double-double of 16 points and 12 rebounds and on top of a four blocks and a steal for Magnolia which was forced to also play all-Filipino with import Shabazz Muhammad nursing a knee injury.
Meantime, NLEX finally rediscovered its winning ways and clobbered also-ran Phoenix, 104-79, to keep an inside track on the last quarterfinals berth in Group B.
On a four-game losing skid and in danger of missing the playoffs if it continues, the Road Warriors displayed a sense of urgency and built a sizable advantage in the first half to quickly take the fight out of the Fuel Masters.
Import DeQuan Jones, Enoch Valdez and Robert Bolick provided the tip of the spear to NLEX’s opening frame assault that set the tone for the rout.
The Road Warriors led 30-17 at the end of the first 10 minutes and ballooned to 54-37 at the break. NLEX further padded the lead in the third and reached as high as 33 as Phoenix never really got into a run enough to trim the huge margin.
NLEX, not only arrested the slide, but picked up the much-needed win that improved its record to a 4-5 slate just in time to keep its lead against fellow playoff-chasing Blackwater which sits at the fifth spot with a 3-5 count.
Jones led the way with 27 points and seven rebounds while Bolick had his share with 19 points, nine assists and five rebounds.
The Scores:
First Game:
NLEX 104 – Jones 27, Bolick 19, Amer 14, Valdez 10, Policarpio 8, Nermal 8, Torres 5, Fajardo 4, Herndon 3, Mocon 2, Nieto 2, Semerad 2, Anthony 0, Miranda 0, Marcelo 0, Rodger 0.
PHOENIX 79 – Manganti 13, Tio 12, Perkins 11, Sotud 10, Rivero 7, Alejandro 7, Jazul 7, Francis 4, Muyang 3, Ballungay 3, Salado 2, Verano 0, Tuffin 0, Garcia 0, Daves 0, Ular 0.
QUARTERS : 30-17, 54-37, 83-55, 104-79
Second Game:
