As far as Magnolia Hotshots coach LA Tenorio is concerned, the playoffs have started for his team. And he is mighty glad the Hotshots are buying in.
Magnolia began their own playoffs with a win, outlasting the Blackwater Bossing, 107-101, on Friday at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium for their fourth straight win and fifth overall in the PBA Governors’ Cup as against three losses. The win also catapulted the Hotshots to solo first in Group B after the Rain or Shine Elasto Painters lost to Barangay Ginebra San Miguel later in the day.
“Itong break na ‘to ay para going to the playoffs. I have to commend my coaching staff and also the players na nag-buy-in sila doon sa sitwasyon… They stuck with it…,” Tenorio pointed out postgame. “They know how important these next three games are for us. They know how important this homestretch is. Nag-payoff naman, but this is just the first game of the playoffs (for us). Ni-re-remind ko sa kanila na eto na start ng playoff games namin and we have to start playing like the playoffs.”
Well-Prepared Magnolia in Control of Own Destiny
It turns out, the Hotshots have been preparing like they’re already playing in the playoffs, using the 53-day break to get ready for the homestretch of the PBA Governors’ Cup—and maybe a potential championship run along the way.
“‘Yun nga sabi ni coach, we had momentum nung nakaraan, kaya talagang pinaghandaan namin during this break. I think kami ‘yung pinakaunang nag-ensayo na team kasi ayaw namin masayang ‘yung momentum namin… Nag-payoff naman,” added Jerom Lastimosa, who continued his stellar play this conference with a 24-point outing against Blackwater spiked by 3 rebounds and 7 dimes.
Now, with the win, Magnolia has kept its momentum going. Crucially, it sets up the Hotshots nicely going into their final two games as it is entirely up to them if they’ll make the playoffs or not.
“What’s good about this situation is we control our own destiny now,” Tenorio pointed out.
Indeed, Magnolia has control over their fate in this Governors’ Cup, as one more win will assure the Hotshots of a playoff berth already. They’ll have to work extremely hard for that victory, though, as their last two games are against Ginebra on Sunday, October 11, and Rain or Shine on October 21.
But, for Tenorio, Magnolia will “somehow, somewhere down the road… face elite teams.”
That time is now.
