Magnolia def TNT, 110-102 [PBA S48 Comm’s Cup | Nov. 5, 2023]

Preseason play gold standard Magnolia carried over its hot run into the season proper, topping TNT, 110-102, in the opener of the PBA 48th Season Commissioner’s Cup at the Smart Araneta Coliseum Sunday.

The Hotshots showed good promise with import Tyler Bey, pulling off a triumphant season debut against a TNT side with a diminished firepower sans RR Pogoy and Mikey Williams.

Bey put up a decent act as a former Dallas Maverick, coming through with a 31-20 double-double spiked by crucial slams that closed the door on the Tropang Giga at endgame.

The scoring champ in the Israeli League earlier this year, the 6-foot-7 Bey went 11-of-24 from the field and 8-of-9 from the stripe in his PBA debut also marked by three steals and one assist in 43 minutes of action.

And the local support was there with Mark Barroca and Paul Lee scoring 19 and 17 points, respectively, and four others contributing at least eight apiece.

“It’s great (winning our first game). I handled the adversity, with the coaching staff and my teammates there with me. And I appreciate it,” said Bey.

“This guy was banged-up but he kept playing,” said coach Chito Victolero of his import.