The Magnolia Hotshots were staring at another 0-3 start to a conference after they opened the PBA Governors’ Cup with a loss to the Phoenix Fuel Masters and a defeat against the Blackwater Bossing. Next on their docket was a Meralco Bolts team coming off two impressive wins.
Magnolia averted disaster with a superlative effort marked by a strong start and punctuated by an even stronger finish en route to a 112-98 victory. Hotshots head coach LA Tenorio was naturally relieved afterward and lauded his team’s response to his challenge.
“I have to give credit to my players. Ang sinasabi ko lang sa kanila, they just have to believe. They just have to believe na we can battle with these strong teams, tough teams, seasoned teams. Iyon lang ang gusto naming makita,” said Tenorio. “They responded really well. They practiced hard the whole week, we watched the videos together. Naniwala sila, and ginawa nila kung ano’ng kailangan naming gawin for this game.”
The Hotshots certainly looked like a team with strong self-belief on Friday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum. They asserted control early, fended off Meralco’s second-quarter rally, and then finished with a flourish for the win.
Magnolia Takes Tenorio’s Other Reminder
One big reason Magnolia mostly dominated Meralco on Friday was the sterling play of the locals, led by Zavier Lucero’s 20-point, 11-rebound double-double and Ian Sangalang’s 16 points off the bench. Mark Barroca and Jerom Lastimosa added 14 and 13, respectively, as the locals combined for 86 of Magnolia’s 112 points.
“If you remember, sinabi ko na after our first game na we cannot rely on our import alone. The locals need to produce also. I’m not saying by points, you know? The support of the locals napakalaking bagay na sa import,” said Tenorio.
Magnolia’s locals certainly helped out KJ Buffen, who himself played a superb game with 26 points on top of 12 rebounds and 5 assists. With that complete effort, the Hotshots proved unequivocally that they can beat strong teams—and that should bode well for the team moving forward.
