After a frustrating 0‑3 start to the PBA Commissioner’s Cup, it appears the Magnolia Hotshots are ready for that next level. That’s according to no less than the team’s head coach, LA Tenorio, who is clearly pleased with the progress the Hotshots have made since their early struggles.
Over the last nine games, Magnolia has won seven, including their final two—the last a 93‑76 dismantling of the Meralco Bolts on Sunday that secured the Hotshots the fifth seed in the quarterfinals. And, according to Tenorio, this recent string of strong performances is simply about his players heeding his challenge.
“The past three games, we’ve been really in a playoff mentality already. I challenged the players, my team, that this kind of games, ito ang magbibigay sa amin ng chance going to the next level,” Tenorio said after the Meralco game.
The last two games, in particular, carried major playoff implications, as two more losses could’ve sent Magnolia packing. A loss, meanwhile, would’ve dropped the Hotshots a seed or two lower. But Tenorio’s team won both and now enters the quarterfinals with momentum.
Magnolia on the Right Track
The job isn’t finished by any means. But for Tenorio, Magnolia is headed in the right direction, mostly because his players took his challenge to heart—and responded accordingly.
“We have a goal as a team, so I think we are on a right track going to that goal…,” Tenorio noted. “What I really like about my team is how they responded to that challenge. They really responded well, not only in the games, but in practice… They’re really locked in, they’re buying in the system na gusto kong iparating sa team.”
But what is that system, exactly?
All conference long, Tenorio has preached defense, defense, and more defense. And the Hotshots have buckled down on that end, holding TNT Tropang 5G to 94 points in another crucial win before clamping Meralco down to 76 on Sunday.
The offense remains a work in progress, but even that is beginning to show marked improvement.
And that all means one thing: The Magnolia Hotshots are trending upward at just the right time.
