Jerrick Ahanmisi catches fire from downtown as Magnolia routs Terrafirma
Jerrick Ahanmisi dazzled with his exceptional shooting from long range, sinking four 4-pointers as Magnolia unleashed a torrent of points on beleaguered Terrafirma, clinching a convincing 124-103 victory to mark their return to the win column in Group A of the PBA Season 49 Governors’ Cup at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium on Sunday, September 1.
The 26-year-old sharpshooter quickly established his rhythm from beyond the 27-foot arc, setting the tone for a scorching first half that dismantled the Dyip, who were already reeling from the absence of star guard Juami Tiongson and defensive stalwart Kemark Carino, both sidelined by injuries.
Ahanmisi’s impressive 4-of-8 performance from the extended line represented the highest number of conversions to date since the introduction of the four-point line, allowing him to finish the game with 24 points. This victory improved Magnolia’s record to 2-2, while Terrafirma remained winless after four outings.
Import Glenn Robinson, having been restricted in the previous game, bounced back impressively, posting a double-double with 20 points and 13 rebounds. Meanwhile, sophomore Zav Lucero added a solid 15 points to the effort.
Three other players contributed in double figures during Magnolia’s rare offensive explosion, which showcased a total of nine triples and six quadruples. Ian Sangalang tallied 14 points, Paul Lee contributed 13, and Joseph Eriobu chipped in with 12.
Ahanmisi accounted for half of Magnolia’s four-pointers in the first half, propelling the Hotshots to a commanding 63-32 lead at halftime—the largest margin by any team since Phoenix led the Dyip 67-30 after 24 minutes in a 135-84 triumph during the 2022-23 Commissioner’s Cup.
While Terrafirma found their footing in the second half, scoring 32 points in the third and 39 in the fourth, they were unable to bridge the gap, with Magnolia’s lead swelling to as much as 38 points at one stage, 60-22, proving insurmountable for the Dyip.
Stanley Pringle and Christian Standhardinger led Terrafirma’s scoring efforts with 23 and 22 points, respectively. However, they desperately missed Tiongson’s playmaking; he was limited to just nine minutes before leaving the game with a suspected hamstring strain.
Paolo Hernandez added an effective 18 points, which included three four-pointers, but the overall performance fell short, especially from import Antonio Hester, who struggled to make an impact with only two points in 12 minutes of action.
The scores :
Magnolia 124 – Ahanmisi 24, Robinson III 20, Lucero 15, Sangalang 14, Lee 13, Eriobu 12, Balanza 7, Barroca 6, Laput 6, Dionisio 4, Abueva 3, Mendoza 0, Reavis 0, Dela Rosa 0, Alfaro 0.
Terrafirma 103 – Pringle 23, Standhardinger 22, Hernandez 18, Sangalang 9, Ramos 9, Ferrer 7, Hanapi 7, Cahilig 6, Hester 2, Tiongson 0, Olivario 0, Carino 0.
Quarterscores: 34-13, 63-32, 86-64, 124-103.
