Magnolia clinches quarterfinals spot with win over NorthPort

Magnolia secured the first quarterfinals berth in the PBA Philippine Cup with a 106-97 victory over NorthPort, reclaiming the top spot with a 7-1 record.

Paul Lee sparked a crucial breakaway in the fourth quarter, scoring 10 of his 16 points to help turn an 83-85 deficit into a 100-88 lead.

Zavier Lucero led Magnolia with a team-high 20 points, while Mark Barroca contributed 15 points.

Peter Alfaro and Jerom Lastimosa added 13 and 10 points, respectively, and Aris Dionisio also scored 10 points, hitting back-to-back three-pointers late in the game.

The Hotshots bounced back from their first loss of the conference against the Rain or Shine Elasto Painters.

For NorthPort, William Navarro had a strong performance with 27 points and 13 rebounds, but it wasn't enough to prevent their fifth straight loss, leaving them with a 1-6 record.