Hotshots rip Bolts, take No. 5 spot

Magnolia repulsed a spirited second-half uprising by Meralco en route to a 93-76 victory and secured the fifth seed in the Philippine Basketball Association Commissioner’s Cup playoffs on Sunday at the Mall of Asia Arena.

The win propelled Magnolia to a showdown against either Meralco or Barangay Ginebra in the quarterfinal after posting its seventh win in 12 assignments.

Clint Chapman led the way with 19 points, seven rebounds and three blocks while Paul Lee led the way for the locals with 13 points, including two triples.

”It’s a good win for us. We gained a lot in this game heading into the playoffs. It’s really big for us since Meralco’s defense was solid,” Lee said.

Javi Gomez de Liaño also made his presence for the Hotshots, who restored a 20-point lead late in the fourth quarter to spoil Meralco’s attempt to turn the tables around.

The Bolts capped their elimination round campaign with eight wins against four losses.

They could still secure the third seed if TNT Tropang 5G defeats Ginebra later Sunday night, but could also slip to fourth and face Magnolia again if the Gin Kings score a win.

Marvin Jones had 14 points, six rebounds, and two assists for Meralco, which lost Cliff Hodge to an ejection in the third quarter following a flagrant foul on Mark Barroca.

Javee Mocon chipped in 12 points for the Bolts, who trimmed what was once a 21-point deficit down to just eight.

Despite the loss, Meralco still holds a twice-to-beat advantage in the quarterfinals.