Intact Hotshots shooting for PBA title

FINISHES:

Philippine Cup: 3rd (clinched semis berth)

Commissioner’s Cup: 3rd (clinched semis berth)

Governors’ Cup: 4th (clinched semis berth)
 
Head coach: Chito Victolero

Addition/s: Robbie Herndon, Gwynne Capacio


MANILA, Philippines — New name, new threads, new beginning.

The Magnolia Hotshots, who went through a massive rebrand in the off-season, are looking to shed the past—and the bitter taste of hitting a playoffs brick wall along with it.

"Every season, lagi kaming nasa semis. But 'yun nga, the ultimate goal is to win a championship,” head coach Chito Victolero said.  

And while he is aware that there’s a process to it, the third-year Hotshots tactician noted that they’re working on their synchronization as a team and mental fortitude on and off the court in an effort to better their changes of getting over the hump.

Good thing, Magnolia is intact going into the PBA’s 43rd season.

“'Yung core noong last season andito pa rin,” Victolero said.

While Marc Pingris is back into the fold, Magnolia is yet to regain Jio Jalalon from an injury and Paul Lee from surgery.

“Mas maganda kung healthy kami. Kumpayansa ako kung nandyan sila lahat. But of course, I have no control over it. The only thing I can do is to prepare kung sino man ‘yung healthy,” Victolero said.

A former player for the franchise himself, Victolero said everything starts with the first step.

"Kailangan lang namin maging ready every single day. Lahat naman ng teams gusto makuha 'yung championship,” he said. "Pero we'll start on our first step: sa practice, sa preparation every game, sa mindset ng mga bata.”

And maybe, just maybe, the tweaks outside the playdates would eventually arrest their “grand slam”—as how he put it last season—in the semifinals.

“I’m very positive,” he offered. "Lagi kong sinasabi sa kanila na everybody has a chance, even Kia, Blackwater and NLEX. Merong mga teams na favorites because they're really strong. Pero 'di naman imposible ‘yan.”

“We’ll just focus one game at a time,” Victolero closed.

Magnolia takes on Alaska in the top-billing of a rare playdate this Wednesday at the Flying-V Arena in San Juan.