Metro Manila (CNN Philippines) — Star Hotshots got a new lease on life with a 105-93 whipping of the Talk ’N Text Tropang Texters in their Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) Governors’ Cup match on Tuesday (June 16) at the SMART-Araneta Coliseum.
Import Marqus Blakely scattered game-high 26 points for the Star, which now holds a 4-5 win-loss record with two assignments left in its schedule.
The Hotshots had to win their remaining games to improve their chances of making the quarterfinals.
Joe Devance and Justin Melton fired 19 and 16 points, respectively.
PJ Simon hit the timely baskets, scoring six of his 15 points in the fourth quarter to help the Hotshots break the game wide open.
The Hotshots, who were coming off a forgettable loss to Rain or Shine Elasto Painters last Saturday, were a well-oiled machine Tuesday especially in the second half, where they powered a run bridging the third and fourth quarters that keyed the win.
Back-to-back baskets by Simon at the 6:11 mark of the fourth quarter gave the Star a comfortable 91-75 cushion.
The Tim Cone-led team continued to step on the gas and took a 105-85 lead on Devance’s three-pointer.
Talk ’N Text scored five more points after that courtesy of Ranidel de Ocampo and import Steffphon Pettigrew but it hardly made a difference as the scores were already out of reach.
The Tropang Texters, who were paced by De Ocampo’s 21 points, reeled to 4-6.
Larry Fonacier and Pettigrew added 20 and 18 points, respectively.
The scores:
STAR (105) – Blakely 26, Devance 19, Melton 16, Simon 15, Mallari 11, Pingris 8, Barroca 5, Yap 5.
TALK N’ TEXT (93) – De Ocampo 21, Fonacier 20, Pettigrew 18, Castro 17, Daghles 7, Williams 4, Washington 2, Rosser 2, Seigle 2, Carey 0, Reyes Ryan 0.
Quarterscores: 20-25, 45-44, 73-65, 105-93
