Magnolia too hot for Alaska

MANILA, Philippines — Mike Harris and pacesetting Magnolia kept their game faces on in a non-bearing outing and posted a 118-91 romp over Alaska for a 9-1 record in the PBA Governors’ Cup yesterday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

Playing as if they were fighting for dear life, the quarterfinal top seed and twice-to-beat Hotshots still put in the hard work to get it done against the Aces and stretch their streak to three.

Harris dropped 38 points with 10 rebounds in just 28 minutes of action in the duel with his former team witnessed by a good-sized Sunday crowd that included Alaska greats. He sparked Magnolia’s breakaway to a 37-18 tear with his 18-point rampage in the first quarter and padded the lead to 24 with a similar scoring outburst in the third.

The Hotshots held Olu Ashaolu to 12 on a 5-of-9 shooting and sent the Aces spinning to back-to-back losses and 6-5 overall on the day the franchise retired the No. 7 jersey of former key player Sonny Thoss. The Aces, who are on their farewell tour in the PBA, now await their fate in the playoffs race with others threatening to hit six wins as well.

“There’s no such thing as no-bearing. For us, the most important game is kung ano yung lalaruin namin ngayon,” said Magnolia coach Chito Victolero. “Kailangan namin yung game because that’s our job and we need to respect the game.”

Victolero welcomed the return of Ian Sangalang (knee) and Rome dela Rosa (hamstring) from injury. Sangalang scored 14 and had six rebounds while Dela Rosa warmed up with four boards and two points in his first appearance in a long while.

It was practically an all-Harris show in the opening period, where he connected on six of his 10 attempts to tow Magnolia to an early 21-point margin.

Alaska gained traction in the second canto, going to within 49-43. But Barroca steadied the ship and restored a fresh 61-45 tear for the Hotshots.

Meanwhile, Thoss became the last Alaska player to have his jersey retired before the franchise bids the league goodbye at the end of this campaign.