The Magnolia Hotshots pulled away in the middle quarters against Barangay Ginebra San Miguel en route to a convincing 88-73 win on Sunday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum. With the victory, the Hotshots hiked their PBA Governors’ Cup record to 2-3—the same as Ginebra’s and that of the Blackwater Bossing.
What Happened?
It was a Manila Clasico type of start, with Ginebra and Magnolia engaging in a tight battle in the opening frame that the latter eventually won, 25-24. It was more of the same in the first seven minutes of the second, with the two teams still tied at 36 at the 5:10 mark. Magnolia took over from there, outscoring Ginebra, 17-7, to take a 53-43 lead.
The Hotshots continued to wax hot in the third, opening the second half on a 10-4 spurt to push the lead to 63-47 at around the halfway point of the third canto. Magnolia ended the quarter with a 75-57 cushion after a Yukien Andrada triple at the buzzer. It was the same story in the final frame, with the Hotshots building as much as a 20-point lead a couple of times as Ginebra failed to mount any serious rally.
Who Stood Out?
Zavier Lucero starred for the Hotshots, scoring 22 of his 24 in the first half alone and powering Magnolia’s strong second quarter. He also had 10 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 steals, and 1 block as he helped contain Riley Grigsby. KJ Buffen backed up Lucero with 23 markers on top of 11 rebounds, while Ian Sangalang came off the bench and put up 16 points with 7 boards. Paul Lee, despite going scoreless, made an impact with his 7 dimes.
For Ginebra, Stephen Holt was the lone bright spot, tallying a team-high 17 points with 5 boards. Grigsby added 15 points, 5 rebounds, and 5 assists.
3 Keys to the Game
- Defense. Magnolia put the clamps on Ginebra, forcing the crowd darlings to 38.6% shooting and completely taking away the trey ball. The Hotshots also contained RJ Abarrientos, limiting him to a measly 6 points. They made life difficult for Grigsby as well.
- Points in the paint. With Sangalang, Lucero, and Buffen attacking, the Hotshots outscored Ginebra, 46-32, in the interior. That gap made a difference in a game where the shooting wasn’t as prolific.
- Urgency. Simplistic as it might sound, Ginebra just didn’t come out with any will to win. In contrast, Magnolia came out like a team in need of a victory—and the Hotshots played like it.
Next Up for the PBA
Tuesday, August 4, 2026 | Ninoy Aquino Stadium
Titan Ultra Giant Risers vs. Macau Giant Pandas (5:15 p.m.)
TNT Tropang 5G vs. NLEX Road Warriors (7:30 p.m.)
