ALTHOUGH Magnolia has already gained a quarterfinals berth, coach Chito Victolero cautioned the Hotshots against falling into any sense of complacency.
“Masarap kasama ang mga player na ito,” Victolero said of his charges. “I just try to look at them and sasabihin ko lang iyong gusto kong sabihin and then ma-e-embrace na nila iyon.”
That mindset will be tested anew more so against a Rain or Shine crew fighting for dear life.
“We’re extremely happy with the position we’re in now but we have one big game coming up, it’s a do or die,” Elasto Painters counterpart Chris Gavina said. “We went through a whole month of not winning and now three wins in a row. Lessons were learned through fire.”
Magnolia tries to extend its winning run to six when it tangles with Rain or Shine today in the PBA Philippine Cup at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
The nightcap is set at 6 p.m. after Blackwater collides with Converge also in a crucial tiff at 3 o’clock.
Stoking the Hotshots’ confidence was their gutsy 97-88 overtime triumph over Meralco five days ago.
The likes of Paul Lee, Mark Barroca, Ian Sangalang, Jio Jalalon, and Calvin Abueva will be counted upon by Magnolia in its bid to raise its 6-3 mark.
The E-Painters rolled to their third straight win via a 97-82 whipping of winless Terrafirma last Saturday.
With Gabe Norwood, Beau Belga, and Mike Nieto doubtful after they sat out the team’s last outing due to health and safety protocols, Rain or Shine will pin its hopes on Leonard Santillan, Rey Nambatac, Gian Mamuyac, Norbert Torres, Anton Asistio, and Andrei Caracut.
The Bossing, coming off a 68-98 drubbing at the hands of NLEX last Friday where they only mustered a league-tying record low of two points in the first quarter, are raring to halt a three-game losing skid.
Blackwater will rely on rookies Ato Ular and Brandon Ganuelas-Rosser, Rey Suerte, and veterans Jvee Casio and Baser Amer to hike its 5-4 record.
The FiberXers absorbed a lopsided 66-99 setback at the hands of Phoenix four days ago that dropped them to 4-6.
Maverick Ahanmisi, Abu Tratter, Kevin Racal, David Murrell, Tyrus Hill, Justin Arana, and RK Ilagan will lead Converge’s charge.
