MANILA, Philippines – Mike Harris scorched hot for 18 first-quarter points and Magnolia gave Alaska a beating in a wire-to-wire 118-91 win in the PBA Governors’ Cup at the Araneta Coliseum on Sunday, March 6.

Harris finished with a total of 38 points, 10 rebounds, and 2 steals in only 29 minutes as the league-leading Hotshots won for the third straight game and hiked their record to 9-1.

The former NBA player was practically unstoppable in his second-highest scoring game of the conference, shooting an ultra-efficient 15-of-20 from the field and 5-of-9 from three-point range.

With Harris torching the nets, Magnolia jumped to a 37-18 lead at the end of the first quarter and never looked back, with its lead swelling to as big as 31 points in the final quarter.

Harris is no stranger to Alaska as he reinforced the squad in the 2018 Governors’ Cup and led the Aces to the finals before they fell short of the crown against, incidentally, the Hotshots.

Now with Magnolia, Harris haunted his former team.

The 38-year-old import matched the Aces’ 18 first-quarter points after making 8 of his first 10 field goals and poured in 18 more in the third period as the Hotshots completely blew the game wide open, 87-67.

Harris sat out the entire fourth quarter with Magnolia comfortably ahead.

Ian Sangalang backstopped Harris with 14 points and 6 rebounds after missing their previous game, Jackson Corpuz had 12 points, while Jio Jalalon tallied 12 points and 11 assists.

Paul Lee and Mark Barroca combined for 15 points and 13 assists in the win.

While Harris dominated, Alaska import Olu Ashaolu struggled offensively, churning out 12 points and 10 rebounds against 6 turnovers in 37 minutes of action.

Rookie RK Ilagan topscored with 14 points off the bench for the Aces, who ended the elimination round with back-to-back losses and dropped to 6-5.

The Scores

Magnolia 118 – Harris 38, Sangalang 14, Corpuz 12, Jalalon 12, Lee 8, Escoto 8, Barroca 7, Wong 7, Reavis 4, Dionisio 3, De Leon 3, Dela Rosa 2, Brill 0, Ahanmisi 0, Capobres 0. 

Alaska 91 – Ilagan 14, Ashaolu 12, Ahanmisi 12, Bulanadi 11, Taha 8, Stockton 7, Teng 6, Tratter 6, Digregorio 5, Faundo 4, Tolomia 4, Marcelino 2, Adamos 0, Publico 0, Racal 0. 

Quarters: 37-18, 61-45, 87-67, 118-91.

– Rappler.com