MAGNOLIA and TNT try to bring some order to a season full of uncertainties when they start their PBA Philippine Cup finals duel today at the Don Honorio Ventura State University Gym in Bacolor, Pampanga.
Both teams admitted that gaining the headstart should be crucial in the best-of-seven series while winning the title would be truly special considering the sacrifices made just to have the season-opening conference finally play out.
Within two weeks or a little after that, depending on how the duel goes, a new champion would be crowned and thus bring about some semblance of normalcy to the PBA, which has been severely affected by the pandemic since last year.
Giving the fans a series to remember is something the combatants, Commissioner Willie Marcial and Chairman Ricky Vargas are looking forward to since it would be like a gift to basketball-loving fans who have their own daily struggles to contend with.
TNT coach Chot Reyes said it best. “Sa totoo lang, sa hirap ng dinanas namin dito, mas marami pa rin tayong kapwa Pilipino na mas malaki pa rin ang isinasakripisyo, mas mahirap pa rin ang buhay,” he said.
“So, I think ang special-ness ng finals na ito, it’s our gift to the Filipino people,” added Reyes. “By being here in the finals, we are part of being able to give something back to the Filipino people.”
For sure, winning it all would certainly make all the hardships everybody went through well worth it.
“Kailangan ma-finish para sulit lahat ng hirap,” was how Magnolia’s Paul Lee, joined in yesterday’s pre-finals online press conference by coach Chito Victolero, board representative Rene Pardo and teammates Mark Barroca, Ian Sangalang and Calvin Abueva, put it.
“Now na nasa finals na (kami) kumbaga bawi na mga sakripisyo sa mga pinagdaanan namin,” said Abueva. “Ngayon, itong two teams na ito, depende na lang kung sino makapunta ng top.”
Ultimately, the gains for each team and its personnel are also a prime consideration for them to go out and dish out what both Vargas and Marcial described as a “Balikatan” of a series.
This is the 31st championship appearance by the former Purefoods franchise, 11 more than the Manny V. Pangilinan-owned team.
Reyes is on his 16th finals gunning for his ninth title while Victolero is only on his fourth, bidding to add to the Hotshots’ 2018 Governors’ Cup crown.
Reyes is also looking for his sixth title in the tournament formerly known as the All-Filipino and thus move alongside the late Virgilio “Baby” Dalupan.
The only five-time Coach of the Year awardee is not one to use the disparity in finals and titles to think of his opponent on the other bench, however.
“I have a huge respect for coach Chito,” said Reyes, who was joined in the Zoom-enabled presser by Kelly Williams, Mikey Williams, Jayson Castro and Roger Pogoy.
“What we have here are two teams trying to compete,” added Reyes. “So I think it’s going to come down to which team goes out and be better on a game-to-game basis, how both teams execute.”
Victolero couldn’t agree more. “This is for the family, the fans,” he said.
“Kaya magiging maganda series kasi all are motivated to end up as champion, lalo na kami. Di nga lang madali kasi nga TNT is well coached, motivated, deep ang talent,” added Victolero.
“Promise
