MAGNOLIA passed its initial test with flying colors, but Hotshots coach Chito Victolero was nowhere near satisfied.
“We need to be consistent, especially in the first half where we were leading in the game, pero mayroon kaming time na nagre-relax,” Victolero said. “That’s the time na TNT had a rally. May mga mental lapses kami especially down the stretch.
“Iyong 11-0 (record in the pre-season) tapos na iyon. We have to start again. That’s in the past, and we’re now looking at the future. We need to be consistent,” he added.
Victolero spoke after Magnolia scored a 110-102 victory over TNT last Sunday night in the match kicking off the PBA Commissioner’s Cup at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
Import Tyler Bey promptly made an impact in his debut with 31 points and 20 rebounds for the Hotshots, while Mark Barroca chipped in 19 markers, three boards, and three assists.
Paul Lee also had 17 points and two rebounds for a Magnolia side which played without energetic forward Calvin Abueva, who is recovering from a hemorrhoidectomy operation.
Victolero gave Bey, 25, plaudits for his effort.
“He’s an energy guy. He has lots of adjustments that he needs to do. Tyler is very, very athletic. He can play both ends of the floor, but I always tell him about the discipline, about the chemistry with the others because we are a defensive minded team so we need him in that system,” Victolero said of the 6-foot-7 Bey, tabbed 36th overall by the Philadelphia Sixers in the NBA Draft in 2020.
“I think he still has a lot of adjustments to make on that but we’re very patient with Tyler. We keep on telling him what to do and how to help the team. Ang maganda lang dito sa batang ito he always listens. He has a great attitude and great character. That’s why the team loves him. He can learn a lot from our system as the tournament progresses.”
Bey, who briefly saw action for the Dallas Mavericks, vowed to improve his game to help the Hotshots end a five-year title dry spell.
“It was great. I learned how to handle adversity, the first three quarters weren’t my best,” Bey said. “But my teammates and coaching staff were there for me throughout the whole way and I really appreciated it.”
Without star guard Mikey Williams (impasse), Roger Pogoy (heart condition), JP Erram (knee), Justin Chua (ACL), and import Rondae Hollis-Jefferson (gastroenteritis), stand-in reinforcement Quincy Miller paced the Tropang Giga with 37 points and 14 caroms, while Calvin Oftana had 28 markers, four rebounds and five dimes.
Kelly Williams also contributed 14 points and five boards for TNT.
