MAGNOLIA still has a chance, no matter how slim, of clinching a top four slot in the PBA Governors' Cup quarterfinals and its corresponding twice-to-beat advantage over a lower-ranked team.
Coach Chito Victolero is already bent on setting his Hotshots' collective mind right, especially if things do not go their way following their collision with pressure-free Blackwater Wednesday at the Ynares Sports Center in Antipolo.
"We have a slim chance of getting to the top four, pero we want parang momentum pa rin going to the playoffs. Kaya very important 'yung game bukas," said Victolero Tuesday morning.
Game time is 3 p.m.
Following an eight-game free-fall that dropped them to a cellar-dwelling 1-9 record, the Bossing have already been taken out of the running for one of the eight quarterfinals berths but would certainly want to end the season on a winning note.
Sponsored content: In contrast, Magnolia still has a shot at claiming one of the top four slots if it wins, but that is only if its resulting 7-4 record would prove enough to put it in a tie for one of the remaining spots in the magic circle.
Victolero maintained his team must first take care of their business first before letting the chips fall where they may. "Hindi na namin kontrolado iyung mga mangyayari after our game, mga laro nu'ng iba," he stated.
"Ang kontrolado namin 'yung game namin so we take care of our business first and then kung anuman mangyari," added Victolero. "Basta prepare hard kami for the playoffs. Practice hard, tamang mindset, na ang importante pa rin may opportunity, may chance, kami to go forward."
Victolero also said his Hotshots' sense of urgency must be heightened even more now with the possibility of them having a win-twice handicap in the quarterfinals - although that doesn't faze him one bit.
"Kaya naman... nagagawa namang ma-overcome 'yung ganoong disadvantage," stressed Victolero. "Basta tamang mindset lang dapat kami, in today's practice saka tomorrow."
Sponsored content: Victolero's concerns stem mainly from Magnolia's most game where it won over Terrafirma, but not after the Hotshots trailed for the majority of the match and had to fight back from a 15-point deficit in the last 4:39 of regulation before finally putting their acts together to prevail in overtime.
"We don't want kung anuman nangyari last game. Buti na lang nanalo, kahit papaano last five minutes of the fourth quarter we doubled our efforts, nag-overtime and then nanalo kami. Pero hindi pwede iyan in our next game," Victolero pointed out.
"Dapat umpisa pa lang full effort nandoon na," added Victolero. "Ang gusto lang namin, maging consistent kami throughout the game. For the whole game dapat i-outhustle, i-outwork namin ang kalaban, not only tomorrow but also in the playoffs." (NC)
