Focused on the Finish Line, Not Just the Perfect Start
Despite an undefeated run in the early stretch of the 2024 PBA Philippine Cup, the Magnolia Chicken Timplados Hotshots are not letting complacency seep into their camp. Head coach Chito Victolero emphasized that their eyes remain locked on the bigger picture—winning the championship.
“At the end of the day, it’s how you finish the conference. Hopefully, panalo ka sa very last game of the season. Iyun ‘yung ultimate goal namin,” said Victolero ahead of Magnolia’s matchup with Terrafirma.
With a 4-0 record before facing the Dyip, Magnolia had a chance to stretch its streak to 5-0. While such a record would inch them closer to playoff security, Victolero made it clear: the team won’t celebrate too early.
Staying on Track and Avoiding Complacency
Victolero reiterated the importance of maintaining discipline and intensity regardless of their opponent’s current form. Terrafirma, sitting at 1-3 after suffering three straight defeats, isn’t a team to be taken lightly.
“Hindi p’wedeng mag-kompiyansa. Baka mamaya madali pa tayo noon,” he warned.
Both teams came into their clash well-rested. Terrafirma had a break after being soundly beaten by Barangay Ginebra (101-80), while Magnolia enjoyed some downtime following their 118-99 demolition of Phoenix in Zamboanga City.
Continuous Improvement Over Comfort
After their most recent win, the Hotshots wasted no time jumping back into preparation mode. Victolero revealed that the team went straight into film review sessions just a few days later to identify lingering issues.
“Tuesday nag-film viewing kami, ipinakita namin mga kailangan pang i-improve,” he said.
“Hindi porke 4-0 kami, hindi doon na natatapos conference namin.”
Among the areas flagged for improvement were defensive consistency, rebounding, offensive spacing in transition, and most notably, limiting turnovers.
“May mga lapses pa sa depensa. Rebounding kailangan pang i-improve. Sa opensa, ‘yung aming transition kailangan pa tamang spacing, turnovers kailangang ibaba.”
Favorable Schedule, But No Let-Up in Focus
Magnolia’s upcoming schedule provides them ample time to rest, recover, and fine-tune their strategies. The Hotshots are set to play three games over the course of nearly a month, giving them more breathing room than other teams.
“Medyo favorable schedule dahil nga enough time para maka-recover ‘yung may mga injuries and sana maka-pondo ng enough wins,” Victolero noted.
This stretch of rest between games is seen as a crucial opportunity for the Hotshots to solidify their foundation heading into the most critical stages of the conference. Injured players can recover, the team can polish weak spots, and the coaching staff can dig deeper into game-planning.
The Road Ahead: Cautious Optimism
Magnolia’s blazing start is impressive, but it’s their measured, team-oriented mindset that could prove most dangerous to their opponents. With their collective goal fixed on winning the very last game of the season—the championship finale—the Hotshots are doing everything they can to build momentum without getting ahead of themselves.
Coach Victolero’s message is clear: Stay hungry, stay humble, and don’t take the foot off the gas until the job is done.