On Friday at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium, import KJ Buffen did everything he could to drag the Magnolia Hotshots past the Blackwater Bossing. He finished with a game‑high 32 points, including six treys, along with 11 rebounds, 3 assists, and 2 steals.
It was a strong bounce‑back after Buffen’s foul‑plagued debut against the Phoenix Fuel Masters. Yet despite his breakout performance, Magnolia absorbed its second straight loss to open the PBA Governors’ Cup. Unsurprisingly, Buffen wasn’t in the mood to celebrate his numbers.
“I’m still trying to get completely adjusted to Magnolia’s system. My performance isn’t really important to me. I feel like my team’s performance is more important,” he told Rebanse after Magnolia’s loss to Blackwater “With us being 0‑2, I don’t think we have the start that we wanted, and I’m not very happy I would say.”
Wins Matter More for Buffen
Buffen’s frustration was clear, though he did find a silver lining in Magnolia’s late fightback.
“[We] kinda showed a little fight there at the end, so that’s good that we have ‘not quitting’ in us. That’s good, and I would say it’s early. But even though it’s still early, we still want to win every game we play,” he noted.
The Hotshots have indeed shown resilience. Against Phoenix, the 26-year-old American posted 15 points, 11 rebounds, and 3 assists, and Magnolia looked primed for the victory. Against Blackwater, he gave the Hotshots the lead down the stretch—only for the team to go scoreless in the final four minutes.
So yes, Magnolia has put up a fight in both games. But for Buffen, that’s not enough. He wants wins, not moral victories.
Buffen and the Hotshots will get another chance to break through on July 24 when they face the Meralco Bolts.
