Magnolia was as fiery as it was clinical on Sunday, May 4, decimating Terrafirma with a stunning 127-94 rout at the Ynares Center in Antipolo to stretch its unbeaten streak to 5-0 in the 2025 PBA Philippine Cup.

Zav Lucero led the balanced attack with 17 points and nine rebounds, pacing a Hotshots squad that flipped the switch in the second quarter and never looked back. From a slim 27-25 edge, Magnolia unleashed a game-defining 27-2 run, holding Terrafirma to just four field goals in the period while outrebounding them 22-4.

With the win, Magnolia stands alone as the only unbeaten team in the conference, a sharp contrast to their sluggish starts in the previous two tournaments. Head coach Chito Victolero remains grounded despite the perfect slate.

“Yes, we’re happy we have a good start compared to the last two conferences. But we’re still far from our goal and we just need to keep working hard every time we prepare for a game,” said Victolero.

All 15 players saw action and contributed meaningfully, a testament to Magnolia’s depth and commitment to its team-oriented system.

“I’m very happy that everybody stepped up. Everybody contributed,” Victolero emphasized. “They are encouraging each other, they are supporting each other.”

Louie Sangalang notched a double-double for Terrafirma with 19 points, 12 boards, and seven assists, while Stanley Pringle and Kevin Ferrer chipped in 17 points each. But the Dyip simply couldn’t keep up with the Hotshots’ high-octane offense and relentless rebounding.

Magnolia dominated key statistical categories: +39 in rebounds (66-27), +30 in inside points, +22 in second-chance points, and +10 in turnover points.

Even when Terrafirma cut the deficit to 87-108 late in the fourth, Magnolia’s bench brigade of James Laput, Russel Escoto, and Joseph Eriobu swiftly put the game out of reach with a closing flurry.

Terrafirma fell to 1-4 with their fourth straight loss.