As far as Magnolia Hotshots coach LA Tenorio is concerned, his team is bound to face a championship-caliber squad anyway, so it might as well do it in the quarterfinals.
That’s exactly the case in this PBA Governors’ Cup, as Magnolia takes on the TNT Tropang 5G in a best-of-five battle between Group B’s top seed and Group A’s fourth seed. Then again, TNT is not your average No. 4 seed, and Tenorio knows it all too well.
“I mean, looking at the other group, kahit naman sino mga kalaban mo dun, same quality of basketball games that you’re gonna see in the playoffs, especially in a best-of-five series,” Tenorio told reporters after Magnolia ended the elimination round with a win over the Rain or Shine Elasto Painters on Wednesday. “But, of course, TNT, may extra sauce sila kasi they’re a very seasoned team. Very, very well coached. ‘Yung experience sila sa championship.”
“Very seasoned” is an apt term to describe the Tropa, which has now made the PBA Finals five straight times dating back to Season 49. It has won two titles in the last two seasons, challenged the San Miguel Beermen twice in the PBA Philippine Cup, and lost a heartbreaker to Barangay Ginebra San Miguel last conference. Now, it is out to defend its Governors’ Cup title, and Magnolia is the first team in its way.
Magnolia and Its First Big Test
TNT should be a nightmare matchup for Magnolia, but Tenorio isn’t shying away from it. He hopes his Hotshots have the same mindset, as this clash with the Tropang 5G should be a barometer of where Magnolia stands vis-à-vis the PBA’s true elite.
“Katulad nang sinasabi ko sa mga players, ang pinakamahirap tawirin is the quarterfinals…. Actually, before this game pa lang, chinallenge ko na sila,” Tenorio acknowledged. “We’ve been talking about it already, the possibility of us playing TNT and Converge [FiberXers]. So, we just have to face it. We’ll see kung nasaan na talaga kami, kung talagang ready na ba kami or nandun na ba talaga kami sa level na ‘yan. Mas mahirap, mas masarap. ‘Yan yung kasabihan…”
“Mahirap” is about the right term to describe the challenge Magnolia will be facing in the quarterfinals. But, as another saying goes, “To be the man, you gotta beat the man.” TNT, until further notice, is the man of the Governors’ Cup.
That’s exactlt who Magnolia will try to beat in the quarterfinals. And that battle starts tonight.
