MAGNOLIA Purewater finally got the performance it wanted from Neil Raneses yesterday as the Wizards downed Harbour Centre Batang Pier, 84-80, and tied their title series in the 2009 Philippine Basketball League PG Flex Linoleum Cup yesterday at the Ynares Sports Arena in Pasig.

The former University of Visayas star sizzled with 25 points, including 10 in the payoff period, to help the Wizards win Game 2 and reduce their best-of-five series with the Batang Pier to a best-of-three affair.

The 6?4? Raneses highlighted his game-long brilliance with several tough shots, but it was his completed three-point play in the last 16 seconds that felled the Batang Pier, 83-78.

It was a marked improvement from his dismal two-point performance in Game 1, where he made only one out of eight tries from the field.

?He?s a veteran, you don?t need to push and motivate him,? said Magnolia coach Koy Banal of his center-forward who finished this time with 11-of-18 shooting in 34 minutes of action.

Raneses also had five rebounds, three blocks, two steals and the same number of assists to highlight his game-long brilliance that somehow rubbed off on his teammates, especially Eder Saldua, Leo Losentes and JP Alcaraz.

The Batang Pier, gunning for their sixth straight titles, fell behind by seven points midway in the fourth but they moved to within two points thrice, the last at 78-80 on a power play by Jerwin Gaco.

But it proved to be Harbour?s last hurrah as Raneses retaliated swiftly with the huge 3-point play.

?I like to commend everybody for their efforts and support. Even those in the bench helped us in their own way,? said Banal, who again pointed to their defense, especially in the stretch for the win?their first over Harbour in four meetings this year.

The Wizards actually made their move in the third quarter where they outscored the Batang Pier, 21-13.

At one stretch, Raneses and Alcaraz took turns in burning the hoops before Saldua rejoined the scoring act, knocking down five straight points, including a triple ? his third for the day ? that gave them their first 9-point lead, 61-52.