THE Hotshots of coach Chito Victolero stayed hot—literally and figuratively—against the Meralco Bolts last Wednesday night at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium in Manila.
In a highly physical and emotional duel, Magnolia whipped Meralco 117-92 but not without nearly a free-for-all brawl between the combatants after a dangerous tackle by Bolts veteran forward Cliff Hodge on Hotshots rising star Zavier Lucero.
“We were ready for that. We give emphasis on toughness. We’re not backing down on anything. We give emphasis doon sa mental and physicality ng Meralco. Palaging naman ganyan. It’s a defensive battle,” Victolero said. “We need to grind all throughout all those 48 minutes and we feel na iyon din iyon isang key kung paano namin ma-handle iyong Meralco, the physicality.
“So, I think, iyon naman, siguro may kaunting kiskisan sa dulo. So, we feel na medyo ano lang, sumobra lang iyong iyong physicality na iyon, that’s why nagkaroon ng kauting commotions doon sa dulo,” he added.
With only 2:16 to go, Hodge tackled Lucero in the head while fighting for possession, which resulted in a flagrant foul penalty on the former.
The jilted Lucero stood up and engaged Hodge in a verbal altercation, while players from both teams almost emptied their benches before cooler heads prevailed.
Hodge is set to appear before pro league chief Willie Marcial today to explain his side of the perilous foul only seen in wrestling matches.
“I don’t think so,” Hodge’s reply if there was a bad intent on the play and added that a Hotshots assistant coach headbutted him, causing a bruise on his left cheek. “I mean, I was trying to stop the fast break layup. It is what it is. I’m not the ref, so… the guys decided what it’s gonna be, so it’s okay. They were talking mess, so I went there and asked what they wanted to do and then I went back to my bench and then I looked back and they were still talking, so I went there and said what’s up.
“From the headbutt. The assistant coach headbutted me in my face. I don’t know if they didn’t see it or whatever, but I guess that’s okay for them.”
He refused to name the deputy coach.
For Victolero, it’s just one of those nights when they had a big bulls-eye target on their backs.
“Sab ko nga sa players, lahat diyan na they want to beat us because unang-una, iyong confidence ng team na mga kalaban namin ay tataas if they beat us,” Victolero said. “So, kami naman, ganoon lang iyong mindset namin, which is malayo pa ito. We experienced this before and iyong mga experience namin na iyon, dinadala lang namin ngayon.
“We experienced last conference where we were 2-5 like that, parang 1-5 pa nga yata and then, last season, we were 7-0. So, ibabalik lang namin iyong mga experience namin.”
Magnolia remained perfect with a 6-0 and the Hotshots have withstood everything that was thrown at them so far, including a near fight.
