By Adrian Stewart Co

Magnolia Pambansang Manok Hotshots survived an endgame rally by TNT Tropang Giga for a 106-98 win in Game 3 of the 2021 PBA Philippine Cup Finals on Sunday night at the Don Honorio Ventura State University Gym in Bacolor, Pampanga.

Comfortably ahead at 95-80, the Hotshots were stunned by a huge Tropang Giga rally that trimmed their lead to 98-95. An inside hit by Andy Mark Barroca and two free throws by Rome dela Rosa widened Magnolia’s edge to 102-95.

TNT made its last push on a three-pointer from Dave Marcelo to cut the deficit to 98-102 but two free throws each by Dela Rosa and Ian Sangalang secured the win for Magnolia.

Paul Lee top-scored with 21 points, while Sangalang chipped in 20 points, seven rebounds, five assists, and four blocks as the Hotshots cut the best-of-seven series deficit to 1-2.

Barroca contributed 16 points, Calvin Abueva had 14 points and eight rebounds, while Jiovani Jalalon added 11 markers for Hotshots, which will try to tie the series in Game 4 tomorrow.

The Hotshots surged to a 7-0 start on five early points by Jalalon but the Tropang Giga rallied to take a 20-14 edge before Magnolia regained the advantage on triples by Barroca and Jerrick Ahanmisi.

Inside hits by Abueva and Jackson Corpuz gave the Hotshots a 33-22 lead before the Tropang Giga trimmed it to 32-35 but conversions by Lee, Sangalang and Jalalon kept Magnolia afloat at 52-46 at the half.

Magnolia maintained the double-digit advantage at 75-61 in the third canto on hits from Lee and Abueva but the Tropang Giga relied on triples by Michael Williams to come to within 74-77 before Sangalang increased it to 82-77 for the Hotshots.

The Hotshots went on a 13-0 start in the fourth quarter on baskets by Sangalang, Barroca and Dela Rosa for their largest lead of 95-77. TNT made its last push behind Williams and Marcelo but was not enough.

Williams finished the game with career-high 39 points, including 10 three-point conversions, while Roger Pogoy and John Paul Erram added 14 and 10 points, respectively, for the Tropang Giga./ASC, WDJ