CHICKEN and beer are a perfect match on a rainy Sunday night for any basketball-loving fan. True enough, Magnolia and San Miguel Beer battled like veritable prizefighters in the PBA Commissioner’s Cup at the PhilSports Arena in Pasig.
The physicality was evident–the Hotshots’ pesky guard Jio Jalalon and Beermen counterpart Chris Ross harassed each other in nearly every possession.
The two protagonists’ big men led by the likes of Magnolia import Tyler Bey and SMB reinforcement Ivan Aska tangled inside the paint like gladiators fighting like there was no tomorrow in the colosseum.
In the end, the Hotshots’ endgame poise spelled the big difference, scoring a pulsating 94-90 decision over the Beermen for their seventh straight win and a quarterfinals berth in the season-opening tourney.
Magnolia coach Chito Victolero refused to take away the credit from his charges despite hurdling SMB which played without reigning seven-time MVP June Mar Fajardo due to a fractured left hand.
“I told you last game, this is not an easy game for us. Without or with June Mar, it’s always a grinding game against SMB,” Victolero said. “They’re a champion team.
“They’re mindset and mental toughness were great and we need to match that,” he added.
The hard-earned triumph that came on the heels of the Hotshots’ 105-84 drubbing of the Blackwater Bossing six nights back that raised their unbeaten mark to 7-0 and clinched them a slot in the Last Eight.
Magnolia can only get better, according to Victolero.
“We need this kind of game going into the playoffs because alam natin pagdating sa playoffs ganito ang laro,” Victolero, who got game-highs of 31 points and 21 rebounds from the hardworking Bey. “We will not stop here. This is only the beginning.
“We know na malayo pa although nagpapasalamat kami for the blessings, nasa quarterfinals na kami. Again, the ultimate goal is to go all the way but malayo pa.”
Vastly improved center James Laput chipped in 14 markers, seven boards, and three assists, while Jalalon, Mark Barroca, and Aris Dionisio finished with 11, 10, and 10 points, respectively, for the Hotshots.
The setback was the second in row for the Beermen, counting a stunning 101-115 defeat to an import-less NorthPort Batang Pier last Friday that dropped them to 3-3.
With shock troopers like Laput and Dionisio showing up, Victolero is convinced they have a team able in all fronts.
“It started in the pre-season seven, eight months ago when we were practicing and they are all committed na mag-improve iyong lahat sa amin. Hindi lang isa, dalawa but the whole team,” Victolero said. “Iyon naman ang goal namin in the pre-season. I don’t want to make an excuse but that was our problem in the playoffs.
“When Ian Sangalang got injured, Paul Lee or even (Mark) Barroca or (Jio) Jalalon or Calvin Abueva got injured, parang nahihirapan talaga kami. Now, we have a deep rotation. We trust each other. We trust our bench.”
