Ricardo Ratliffe delivered a dominant performance, scoring 32 points and grabbing 14 rebounds, to lead the Magnolia Timplados Hotshots to a hard-fought 89-84 victory over the Terrafirma Dyip on Friday evening at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium.
Ratliffe’s crucial offensive rebound and layup off Stanley Pringle’s missed shot with 29 seconds remaining sealed the win in this pivotal elimination round match of the 49th Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) Commissioner’s Cup.
Zavier Lucero contributed 17 points, while Ian Sangalang added 13 points, helping the Hotshots break a three-week losing streak. The win marked Magnolia’s third victory in eight games, keeping their slim playoff hopes alive after a narrow 92-95 loss to Barangay Ginebra had placed them on the brink of elimination.
“We’re treating every game as a do-or-die affair now,” said Hotshots coach Chito Victolero. “The team has been playing well in the past three games, and this win is a testament to their effort.”
Stanley Pringle led the Dyip with 22 points, but Terrafirma remained winless after nine outings.
The Hotshots played without key guard Paul Lee, who is sidelined indefinitely due to a meniscus injury. Despite his absence, Magnolia showed resilience to stay in the hunt for a quarterfinal spot.
The Hotshout played without Paul Lee, who will be out for a long time, as he deals with a meniscus injury.