Clash of the Haves, Have-Nots

MANILA, Philippines — San Miguel Beer is the overwhelming favorite with its powerhouse roster built around the 6-foot-10 June Mar Fajardo.

And Magnolia is very aware of this. In fact, the Hotshots are using the multi-titled Beermen as the very impetus to nail their first-ever title although the ballclub has won six PBA All-Filipino titles, including four under the San Mig Coffee banner.

But it has no championship to show under the Magnolia side.

And the Hotshots are bringing into the championship an uncanny confidence so rare to a challenger to a fabled titlist.

They begin their 2018 PBA Philippine Cup best-of-seven championship showdown at 7 tonight at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

If their elims faceoff would be any gauge, then the Beermen and the Hotshots could be in for a series to remember.

The Beermen endured a 48-minute battle and barely escaped with a 77-76 victory over the Hotshots last Feb. 4 at the Ynares Sports Center in Antipolo. And interestingly, the two teams finished with identical 8-3 win-loss marks in the elims.

A ferocious game the Hotshots put up in their elims matchup is a cause of concern for San Miguel coach Leo Austria.

“I’m wary because they want to beat us badly,” said Austria.

Coach Chito Victolero welcomed the test and tall odds, hoping to uncover some of the weaknesses of Fajardo, the four-time MVP winner and his teammates.

“For sure, they have their weaknesses,” said Victolero.

Magnolia is inspired to beat the champ to be a champ.

“Masarap kalaban ang champion. Mas lalo ngayon kalaban namin three-time champion (It’s good to fight a champion, much more in this case where we’re fighting a three-time champion),” said Mark Barroca.

Barroca was a lethal force, leading all scorers with 21 points in the SMB-Magnolia elims matchup.

“They won the last three all-Filipino crowns. They’re really a tough team but we’ll give them a totally new challenge,” said PJ Simon.

“We’ll challenge ourselves to beat them,” said Jio Jalalon.

Meanwhile, though they’re the clear underdogs, Paul Lee and Ian Sangalang believe anything can happen in the finals.

Last Feb. 4, the Hotshots pushed the Beermen to the wall with an intense, tough performance even as they came from a game just 48 hours earlier.

“We’re shocked with the kind of defense they played. It appeared they saved a lot of energy for our game,” Austria said.

But there’s big factor in that game that the Hotshots are missing now – Marc Pingris.

Sangalang, Rafi Reavis and Kyle Pascual need to exert extra effort to neutralize Fajardo.

And the Hotshots are expected to employ a pressing defense to make it tough for the Beermen to put the ball in Fajardo’s hands at the post.