Hotshots gun for 2-0 semifinal series lead
GOT an early series lead following a hard-earned Game One victory in their best-of-five Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) Commissioner’s Cup semifinal series at the weekend, the Star Hotshots go for a commanding 2-nil lead when they reengage the San Miguel Beermen in Game Two today at the Mall of Asia Arena.
Set at 7 p.m., the streaking Hotshots try to build on their 109-105 win in the series opener and move a step closer to barging into their first PBA finals appearance in more than two years.
Expecting a grinding series with the Beermen in the run-up to their semifinal pairing, Star exactly got that but proved itself up to the challenge and stood toetotoe with higher- seeded San Miguel.
Import Ricardo Ratliffe was once again at the forefront of the Hotshots’ push in Game One while getting ample support from the team’s local front line, particularly Allein Maliksi, Ian Sangalang and Aldrech Ramos.
Their front court’s jacked-up play helped the Hotshots handle and counter the Beermen’s vaunted big men of reinforcement Charles Rhodes, June Mar Fajardo and Arwind Santos, an aspect of San Miguel’s game that Star coach Chito Victolero said they hope to control if they are to advance to the finals, their first, if ever, since the franchise won the Governors’ Cup in 2014 that completed for it a rare league grand slam.
Mr. Ratliffe, a returning import that rejoined the team mid- way into the mid- season PBA tournament, had 26 points and 21 rebounds for Star in the series opener, a game that saw the team needing to buck a ferocious late charge from San Miguel before holding on for the win.
Gilas Pilipinas member Maliksi also had 26 points, going 5-of-6 from three-point land, while Mr. Sangalang tallied 12 markers on an efficient 57% shooting clip.
Mr. Ramos finished with 11, the last three points off a trifecta that extended a narrow one-point lead, 106-105, after San Miguel made its way from as much as 14 points down in the closing minutes of the contest, to a four-point advantage with 13 seconds left, which eventually wound up as the final score.
Seeing how his players responded to the challenge the Beermen posted, Mr. Victolero heaped praises to his players while underscoring the need for them to take cue from their Game One performance.
“We know this is going to be a grinding game. The players showed a lot of heart and will to win,” said Mr. Victolero after their victory.
“San Miguel kept on fighting and even came close to winning in the dying seconds, which is a testament to the kind of them they are, but my players kept fighting as well,” he added.
San Miguel was led by Mr. Rhodes with 34 points and 10 rebounds in Game One with Mr. Fajardo chipping in 24 points and nine boards.
Mr. Santos and Marcio Lassiter were the two other Beermen in double figures with 16 and 12 points, respectively, while guard Chris Ross nearly put up a triple-double of seven points, 10 rebounds and 15 assists.