Ricardo Ratliffe delivered a dominant performance with 32 points and 14 rebounds, leading the Magnolia Timplados Hotshots to a commanding 112-81 victory over the NLEX Road Warriors on Sunday night.
With the win, Magnolia clinched the final quarterfinals berth in their do-or-die showdown at the 49th Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) Commissioner’s Cup, held at the Ynares Sports Center in Antipolo City.
Zav Lucero added 14 points, while Rome de la Rosa and Ian Sangalang contributed 13 points each, as the Hotshots finished the eliminations with a 6-6 record—matching that of the Road Warriors. Their triumph set up a quarterfinal clash against the top-seeded NorthPort Batang Pier, who hold a twice-to-beat advantage.
Magnolia broke the game wide open in the second half, turning a 44-all halftime deadlock into a decisive lead. Ratliffe fueled an 11-0 run in the third quarter, scoring eight points, including back-to-back layups that transformed a 50-all tie into a 61-50 Hotshots advantage. By the end of the third, Magnolia had built a comfortable 80-66 lead, capped by Paul Lee’s free throw in the closing seconds.
The Hotshots continued to pile on the pressure, extending their lead to as much as 31 points in the final minute after a layup by Jerrick Balanza.
“We had a lot of turnovers in the first half, but I reminded the team to stick to our strength, which is our defense,” said Magnolia head coach Chito Victolero.
With momentum on their side, the Hotshots now prepare for a tough quarterfinal battle against NorthPort.