HAVING rediscovered its game and seemingly having wrested momentum, Magnolia tries to draw level with TNT as their PBA Philippine Cup championship duel resumes tonight at the Don Honorio Ventura State University Gym in Bacolor, Pampanga.
A 106-98 victory in Game 3 last Sunday cut the Hotshots’ deficit in the race-to-four series at 1-2 and another win would turn the duel into a best-of-three battle.
Magnolia coach Chito Victolero pointed to his players’ determination as the big difference in Game 3, which they intend to duplicate in Game 4.
“Importante lang dito we have the proper mindset,” Victolero said. “Sabi ko nga sa kanila, ‘We’re here in the finals because of our defense.’ So we just (went) back to basics, (thought back) about what happened doon sa playoffs against Meralco and Rain or Shine and doon sa mga elimination games namin.”
Paul Lee, who scored a team-high 21 points in the breakthrough win, said it is all about Magnolia being on one page.
“‘Yung adjustments namin, offense and defense, talagang nag-buy in lahat. Naniwala kami sa isa’t-isa, naniwala kami sa sistema ni coach Chito,” said the prized combo guard.
To be awarded before the game is the Davco-Best Player of the Conference.
TNT should be even more primed and ready this time, however.
After absorbing their first loss to the Hotshots not only in the series but the entire tournament, the Tropang Giga are out to bounce back and play harder than they did in fashioning lopsided 88-70 and 105-93 victories in the first two games.
And sure to lead TNT’s charge is Mikey Williams.
The streak-shooting Fil-Am guard, who turns 30 today, has been torching Magnolia for 29.3 points, 6.7 rebounds and 4.3 assists in the series’ first three games and is coming off a 39-point explosion, anchored on a finals record 10 triples, in Game 3.
That output, the most by a rookie in a championship series or since Eric Menk scattered 42 for Tanduay in Game 3 of the same tournament finals’ 1999 edition against Shell, came despite Magnolia using several defensive schemes and rotating multiple players on Williams.
“We changed up our defense. Siguro alam din naman ng kabila iyon na we go from man to zone. So we just tried to limit Mikey Williams,” Victolero said, adding wryly: “Tingin ko na-limit naman namin. Forty points lang yata ini-score niya.”
“Nabuhay siya para um-score,” chimed in Lee.
On a more serious note, Victolero also said: “Ma-limit lang namin under 50 points.”
The one-time Coach of the Year awardee declined from divulging what defensive plays they would try anew in trying to contain the NBA G-League veteran anew in Game 4.
Based on the last game, however, one could easily surmise that the Hotshots would also be concentrating on limiting the other Tropa aces.
Last Sunday only Roger Pogoy (14 points) and Poy Erram (10) were the only other TNT players who managed to score in double digits while the likes of Jayson Castro, Troy Rosario, Kelly Williams and Ryan Reyes combined for only 16 points.
