Magnolia beats Blackwater for 4th straight win

Magnolia leaned on the trio of Jerome Lastimosa, KJ Buffen and Zavier Lucero in the second half to turn back a tough Blackwater side, 107-101, for its fourth straight win in the PBA Season 50 Governors’ Cup on Friday at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium. Lastimosa and Buffen finished with 24 points apiece, even as the Magnolia import grabbed 20 rebounds. The Hotshots outrebounded the Bossing, 55-37, showing their aggressiveness from the get-go Lucero, fresh from his recent Gilas Pilipinas stint in the Asian Games, added 17 for Magnolia, which also held a massive 56-23 advantage in bench points. It was sweet revenge for the Hotshots who suffered an 89-81 loss to the Bossing in their first meeting last July 17. Magnolia improved to 5-3 overall, while Blackwater dropped to 3-4, winning just once in its last five games after a 2-0 start. Sedrick Barefield led the Bossing with 24 points, while import Kentrell Barkley added 20, 12 and eight assists.