Magnolia takes pride in finding ways to win as it enters finals

By Michael Angelo S. Murillo
Senior Reporter

THE Magnolia Hotshots Pambansang Manok are back in another Philippine Basketball Association finals which has added significance considering the road they took on the way to it.

Outlasting the Rain or Shine Elasto Painters in overtime in Game Seven of their PBA Philippine Cup semifinals, 63-60, on Sunday, the Hotshots, the sixth seeds in the playoffs, advanced to the finals of the season-opening PBA tournament against the defending champions San Miguel Beermen.

It did not come easy for Magnolia as it found itself needing to play catch-up from the start of the tournament and continue to find ways to win.

For Magnolia coach Chito Victolero, Game Seven on Sunday was representative of how it has been for them in the Philippine Cup.

Down by a much as 17 points in the third quarter, 39-22, Mr. Victolero said they were concerned but just kept fighting all the way to the end.

“I don’t know how we were able to come back in this game. It’s all God’s will. And we’re thankful. Thanks to the players for they did not give up. They had the energy and effort to will the team to the victory,” said Mr. Victolero in the postgame press conference following Game Seven versus Rain or Shine.

“Our team just do not give up. Off a championship [in the previous tournament] we started the conference 0-3, then 1-4. We needed to win five of our last six games in the eliminations for us to go to the middle of the pack. We battled and battled. We nearly missed the playoffs,” he added.

He went on to say that in the playoffs it was the same story.

“In the quarterfinals we went 0-1 against Barangay Ginebra and needed to sweep our next two games to advance. In the semifinals versus Rain or Shine we fell behind 0-2 early and had to play in a classic Game Seven,” Mr. Victolero said.

Now against San Miguel in the finals of Philippine Cup anew, Mr. Victolero said they are banking on the experience they got from the tough road they had to the finals.

“Nothing is impossible. The mighty San Miguel Beermen are there and they are resting but we are not backing down. We are underdogs against them but we have been underdogs all tournament long. It’s nothing new to us. We will find ways to win,” he said.

In last year’s edition of the Philippine Cup, the Hotshots challenged the Beermen for the title but fell in five games, 4-1.

Game One of the best-of-seven PBA Philippine Cup finals is on May 1 at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.