TNT Magnolia quarterfinals opener
Rondae Hollis-Jefferson shook off a poor shooting start to finish with 26 points, and TNT beat Magnolia 92-70 on Sunday at the Ynares Center Antipolo in the PBA Season 50 Governors' Cup quarterfinals. The win gives the defending champions a 1-0 lead in the best-of-five series.
The first quarter was close, with TNT ahead 19-15, but the Tropang 5G won every period. The decisive stretch was the third, when they scored 26 points and held the Hotshots to 18 for a 68-51 cushion.
Hollis-Jefferson's left-handed layup over Ian Sangalang's defense gave TNT its biggest lead at 86-61 with 5:16 left. Magnolia never threatened a comeback after the third-quarter run.
Hollis-Jefferson finds his rhythm after six misses
The resident import missed his first six shots before settling in, scoring 19 points the rest of the way. He also finished with nine rebounds, five assists and three steals.
His three steals were part of a TNT effort that limited Magnolia to 33 points in the first half and 51 through three quarters. The Hotshots shot poorly enough that the game was effectively decided before the fourth period began.
"I think they're the number one defensive team throughout the regular season so that was something we talked heavily about and understand that it wouldn't be easy," Hollis-Jefferson said. "But this is something that we talked about all the time, to stay poised, stay resilient."
The comment frames the opener as a test of patience more than shot-making. TNT's answer was a third-quarter burst that turned a nine-point halftime edge into a 17-point lead.
TNT's local core spreads the scoring
Calvin Oftana finished with 13 points, RR Pogoy and Rey Nambatac added 12 each, and Brandon Ganuelas-Rosser chipped in 11. That balance mattered on a night when the import's first six attempts did not fall.
Four TNT locals reached double figures alongside Hollis-Jefferson, which kept the offense moving while he searched for rhythm. Galinato and Heading scored six apiece, while Castro, Jalalon and Khobuntin added two each. Erram, Aurin and Quitevis did not score.
Magnolia's Group B form meets a harder test
Magnolia closed the elimination round on top of Group B, but the quarterfinals opened with a different kind of game. Buffen led the Hotshots with 18 points, Lucero added 14, Barroca 11 and Sangalang eight.
Alfaro added four, Dela Rosa two and Gomez de Liano one, while Jopia, Andrada and Laput went scoreless. Only three Magnolia players reached double figures, and the Hotshots finished 22 points behind.
The Group B top seed is now beside the point; the series score is what Magnolia must manage. The Hotshots have to regroup quickly to avoid falling into a 0-2 hole in the best-of-five series.
What the opener changes for the series
The result settles only the first game, but it shifts the pressure in a short series. TNT can approach the next game with a cushion, while Magnolia has to find answers against a side that won by 22 despite a cold start from its import.
Two things to watch: whether Magnolia's defense can force Hollis-Jefferson into another slow opening, and whether TNT's locals keep scoring in double figures. The opener suggests both are live questions.
For Hollis-Jefferson, the takeaway was resilience rather than volume. His 26 points came after six straight misses, and the supporting cast kept the offense moving while he waited for the shots to fall.
The original report was published by gmanetwork.com.
