Evidently, LA Tenorio dug into his bag of motivational tricks ahead of the Magnolia Hotshots’ crucial matchup against the Converge FiberXers on Sunday.
“We know Converge can score with the talent that they have. And I challenged my players—treat the game like a playoff. It’s them or us. Maganda naman ang resulta,” Tenorio recalled of how he motivated his Hotshots against a deep, talented team like the FiberXers, who are also out to get as many wins as they can after a nightmare start.
The results were good, indeed, as Magnolia hacked out a near wire-to-wire 106–94 victory where it kept that high-powered Converge offense largely in check—just as Tenorio wants it.
“I always emphasize playing defense. Going to this game, I challenged the players, my team, to concentrate on making stops and to play solid halfcourt defense,” Tenorio added.
The Hotshots appear to be taking that challenge to heart as they are now the second-best team defensively in this PBA Commissioner’s Cup, surrendering just 96.9 points per game.
Magnolia Has a Long Road Ahead
Clearly, the Hotshots have been responding well to Tenorio’s challenges, as evidenced by their 4–1 stretch after losing their first three games.
But the job is far from finished for Magnolia, as it is still tied with the San Miguel Beermen at joint fifth and would finish eighth in the race to the quarters—putting the Hotshots in a twice-to-win disadvantage.
Put simply, Magnolia will need to keep that “them or us” playoff mentality the rest of the way if it wants to land in a better bracket for the playoffs. The Hotshots will also have to defend with the ferocity and discipline Tenorio wants, especially with the prolific offenses of the Rain or Shine Elasto Painters, TNT Tropang 5G, and Phoenix Fuel Masters all still up next.
The Hotshots next take the floor on Saturday when they take on league-leading Rain or Shine at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium.
