When Magnolia goes into its title rematch with defending champion San Miguel Beer in the coming PBA Philippine Cup finals, it is confident of achieving a different result this time around.
Coach Chito Victolero said the experience gained by the Hotshots in their two finals appearances last season, including winning the Governors Cup championship, should augur well for the team going to the best-of-seven series that gets underway Wednesday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
“We gained a lot of experience. Nag-mature na kami,” said Victolero during the pre-finals press conference Monday at the Sambokojin Restaurant in Eastwood. “Last conference we won a championship and I think malaking bagay ‘yun para sa grupong ito. Malaking tulong ‘yun.”
The Beermen, reigning four-time champion, beat the Hotshots in the All-Filipino title series last year, 4-1.
San Miguel Beer coach Leo Austria believes the Beermen are facing a different Magnolia team this time.
“They are really dangerous, they gained a lot. Unang-una ‘yung experience and then nag-mature na sila,” said Austria, who joined Victolero in the presentation along with members of both teams, governors Robert Non (San Miguel) and Rene Pardo (Magnolia), and league Commissioner Willie Marcial.
And just like the rest of the field, Austria knows teams are out to topple the Beermen, the Hotshots included.
“Every team in the PBA is thinking how to beat San Miguel,” said Austria, whose team made the finals by making short work of Phoenix in the semis, 4-1. “Lahat ng teams (sa PBA) is very competitive.”
But the three-time Coach of the Year stressed his team knows what is at stake here.
“‘Yung habit na yan (winning) parang lifestyle na nila. Ayaw naming matalo,” said Austria.
Victolero did admit that despite gaining a lot, the Hotshots remain the underdogs in the series, especially after being pushed to the limit by Rain or Shine, en route to an overtime 63-60 win in the deciding Game 7 of their semis series.
The addition of Christian Standhardinger and Terrence Romeo to San Miguel’s roster is definitely a big factor.
“Malaking tulong ‘yung dalawa compared nu’ng last year na wala sila,” he said. “Kami naman gagawin na lang kung ano ang kaya, so we just have to be prepared with that,” said Austria.
