MAGNOLIA Ang Pambansang Manok executed a final play to near-perfection in nipping NorthPort 90-89 Friday and hitting its most immediate target in the Philippine Cup at the Don Honorio Ventura State University Gym in Bacolor, Pampanga.
Just as coach Chito Victolero drew it, Calvin Abueva got a backscreen from Paul Lee to get free underneath, received the long inbound from Rome dela Rosa and turned and dribbled between two defenders to hit the short jumper for the game-winning shot just before the final buzzer.
"That's a designed play, a backscreen to Calvin ala-alley-oop. And then kung wala iyon next option si Paul," related Victolero.
That fruitful thrust preserved Ian Sangalang's 26 points and 10 rebounds and propped Magnolia to its seventh win in 10 games, enough for it to formally enter the eight-team quarterfinals and join early qualifier TNT.
"That was our goal today. We talked about our focus, at the same time what's at stake in this game," said Victolero, adding they will try to go for another victory against San Miguel Beer on Sunday and hope they could nab No. 2 spot and the last twice-to-beat advantage in the next round.
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The loss was NorthPort's second straight, dropping it to a 4-5 record and into a tie with Barangay Ginebra at seventh-running spot.
What's more and as a consequence of that NorthPort loss, Meralco and Rain or Shine also punched their tickets to the next round since they each have six wins which is now the new number of Ws required to advance.
The defeat was also eerily similar to the close ones the Batang Pier suffered in their first two games in the conference, losing via dying or last-second shots to the Kings and Beermen in succession.
Greg Slaughter marked his return to action following a two-game absence by notching 21 points, eight rebounds and five blocked shots while fellow returnee Sean Anthony added 16 points and six boards.
Paolo Taha and Jamie Malonzo each had 14 points but NorthPort still failed to sustain a fine start that saw it lead by as much as 26-9 and even trailed by 59-66 at one point.
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Still, the game ultimately boiled down to crunch time and Kevin Ferrer gave the Batang Pier its last taste of the lead with a lay-up, 89-88, while getting Sangalang's sixth foul in the process.
Ferrer, however, failed to complete the three-point play and Victolero had the timeout to spare to draw up what would prove to be the game-winning play inside the final 2.6 seconds. (NC)
The scores:
Magnolia 90 - Sangalang 26, Abueva 15, Lee 13, Barroca 10, Dela Rosa 10, Ahanmisi 8, Dionisio 6, Jalalon 2, Brill 0, Corpuz 0, Reavis 0, De Leon 0, Capobres 0, Pascual 0.
NorthPort 89 - Slaughter 21, Anthony 16, Taha 14, Malonzo 14, Bolick 10, Onwubere 4, Lanete 4, Balanza 2, Rike 2, Ferrer 2, Subido 0, Elorde 0, Doliguez 0, Grey 0, Faundo 0.
Quarters: 12-26, 44-47, 68-67, 90-89.
