Magnolia is finally beginning to look like a team that has found its rhythm as the Hotshots put together their game winning streak of the PBA Season 50 Governors’ Cup on Wednesday, turning a tight contest against the Phoenix Super LPG Fuel Masters into a statement 115-101 victory at the Ynares Center.
The difference came in the fourth quarter, when Magnolia answered Phoenix’s push with a devastating 16-0 run that completely flipped the game.
Phoenix had taken an 86-82 lead, but Jerom Lastimosa and KJ Buffen helped ignite Magnolia’s decisive surge, transforming a four-point deficit into a 98-86 advantage. From there, the Hotshots never gave the Fuel Masters a chance to recover.
Lastimosa was at the center of the turnaround as the Magnolia guard delivered the best offensive performance of his career, scoring 30 points on an outstanding 11-of-14 shooting. Twelve of those points came in the final quarter, allowing the Hotshots to pull away when the game mattered most.
Mark Barroca provided another major boost late, scoring 10 of his 21 points in the fourth.
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Buffen was just as important throughout the night, finishing with 35 points and 10 rebounds, while Phoenix struggled once again to maintain its offensive production down the stretch.
It was a familiar problem for the Fuel Masters. In their previous outing against Blackwater, Phoenix managed only 14 points in the final quarter. Against Magnolia, the same fourth-quarter struggles resurfaced at the worst possible time.
BJ Johnson carried much of the Phoenix offense with 37 points, while Ricci Rivero added 16. Kenneth Tuffin and Kai Ballungay contributed 12 points each, with Gian Mamuyac finishing with 10.
For Magnolia coach LA Tenorio, however, the biggest takeaway was not simply the scoring. It was how his players reacted after Phoenix mounted its challenge in the third quarter.
“The guys responded after the third quarter. Usually, kapag nagkaka-run ang kalaban namin, we got deflated at natataranta. Today, they stayed positive,” offered head coach Tenorio said.
That resilience became the foundation of Magnolia’s fourth-quarter explosion.
Tenorio also singled out Lastimosa, praising the guard’s willingness to absorb coaching and immediately translate instructions into action.
“What I like about Jerom is that he’s a listener, he’s a good student of the game. Ginagawa niya talaga yung mga sinasabi naming coaching staff, lalong-lalo na ako,” he said.
Lastimosa’s breakout performance could prove particularly valuable for a Magnolia squad that is beginning to build momentum. With Buffen providing the heavy scoring load and Barroca delivering his veteran presence, the Hotshots suddenly have another reliable weapon capable of changing the game.
The victory also carries added significance in the Group B standings as Magnolia improved to 4-3.
Phoenix, also now 4-3, slipped to solo second after previously sharing the lead with Rain or Shine.
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