Magnolia faces great odds against history-seeking San Miguel squad
By JONAS TERRADO
There’s more than just winning the PBA Philippine Cup – the league’s oldest and most prestigious tournament – that motivates both the San Miguel Beermen and Magnolia Hotshots Pambansang Manok ahead of their finals showdown which starts tomorrow night at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
San Miguel’s desire to enhance its status as one of the greatest team’s of all-time and Magnolia’s bid to bring back the winning feeling it last savored in 2014 will be the main theme of the championship series that seemed like a race to earn the unofficial tag as “Team of the Decade.”
Under coach Leo Austria, the Beermen currently hold the label of being the PBA’s model franchise, with six championships since 2014, including three straight titles in the conference commonly known as the All-Filipino.
SMB is back in the Philippine Cup finals with a shot at an unprecedented fourth consecutive crown, a feat unlike any other.
But that quest could be derailed by a Magnolia team hungry to regain lost glory and return to the pedestal San Miguel currently stands.
The Hotshots used to be the envy of the rest of the pack as coach Tim Cone guided the then-San Mig Super Coffee Mixers to the PBA’s fifth grand slam in 2014. But Cone’s transfer to Barangay Ginebra San Miguel a season later set the franchise aback before Chito Victolero slowly brought it back to title contention.
“Meron po kaming kanya-kanyang dahilan,” said Beermen forward Arwind Santos in yesterday’s press conference at Sambokojin restaurant in Eastwood Libis. “Ipapakita na lang namin sa laro kung sino ang mas may mabigat na dahilan sa amin.
“Hindi po namin masabi dito, sila din po mabigat ang kanilang dahilan. Pero ang basketball kasi hindi lang dahilan ang kailangan, kailangan pagtrabahuan para makuha mo ang pinaglalaban mo,” added Santos.
The Beermen’s quest to make another historic achievement will depend on whether Santos, June Mar Fajardo, Chris Ross and Marcio Lassiter – the team’s source of strength – can replicate past championship battles.
Standing their way are the Hotshots, who still have the remnants of the grand slam team but have new pieces as reinforcements for the PBA’s biggest stage.
Grand slam holdovers Mark Barroca, PJ Simon, Rafi Reavis and Ian Sangalang are joined by Paul Lee and Jio Jalalon as they attempt to put a mark on the Beermen’s unbeaten finals record under Austria.
“Ngayong nasa finals na kami, hindi lang naman yung goal dito e. Pang-apat na semis namin nakapasok na rin, so over the hump nga. Yung target namin bahala na, bigay namin best namin ng finals,” said Barroca.
