Paul Lee banged away four 4-point bombs to highlight a 27-point sizzler and the Magnolia Hotshots preserved their perfect run with a 117-92 disposal of the Meralco Bolts in the PBA Philippine Cup at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium Wednesday night.
Lee drained three 4-balls in a decisive run the Hotshots unleashed to break the game wide open midway through the fourth quarter and eventually shut the door on the Bolts.
The Hotshots stayed undefeated through six games while dealing the Bolts a second straight loss and fifth in eight games overall.
It was an explosive night not just for Lee but the entire Magnolia team with Ian Sangalang, Zavi Lucero, James Laput and Rome dela Rosa contributing at least 11 points each and three others narrowly missing a twin-digit output.
Chris Banchero had 20 points as he top scored for the Bolts in the game that became a bit dicey towards the end after a flagrant foul penalty 1 by Cliff Hodge on Lucero.
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A hot confrontation erupted, ensuing a slow-motion replay in the giant screen in the venue showing Hodge's dangerous tackle of Lucero.
The Bolts were still within striking distance before Lee strung up three straight 4-balls as the Hotshots zoomed to a 108-86 spread in the last four-minute mark.
Lee hit at a wondrous 4-of-5 clip from the four-point arc and also drilled in a three-pointer in a game he also laced with two assists against two turnovers in just 21 minutes of action.
Sangalang flirted with a double-double with 16 markers and nine boards as Lucero and Laput tallied similar 11-7 point-rebound hauls while Dela Rosa logged in 11 points. Adding nine apiece were Mark Barroca, Jerom Lastimosa and Peter Alfaro III.
And the Hotshots stood at 6-0 at the halfway mark of their elims sked. The last five games for Magnolia are Rain or Shine, NorthPort, Barangay Ginebra, NLEX and TNT.
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Meralco, meanwhile, is now barely at eighth place at 3-5. The Bolts' last three outings pit them against the Blackwater Bossing, the NLEX Road Warriors and the Ginebra Kings.(SB)
The scores:
Magnolia 117 - Lee 27, Sangalang 16, Dela Rosa 11, Lucero 11, Laput 11, Barroca 9, Alfaro 9, Lastimosa 9, Abueva 8, Ahanmisi 4, Escoto 2, Dionisio 0..
Meralco 92 - Banchero 20, Newsome 14, Quinto 13, Almazan 13, Hodge 10, Black 10, Cansino 8, Bates 4, Jose 0, Rios 0, Pasaol 0, Torres 0.
Quarterscores: 30-19, 55-45, 82-73, 117-92
