At Game 4 of the PBA Finals, the Magnolia Hotshots put up a strong performance.
From Manila, Philippines, we have an interesting take from coach Chito Victolero who doesn’t seem to be your average coach. Despite securing an assertive 96-85 victory against San Miguel in Game 4 of the PBA Commissioner’s Cup Finals making the series 2-2, Victolero surprisingly declared that there wasn’t anything to celebrate. He stressed that they are still the “underdogs” of the series, despite their consecutive victories.
“There are no benefits at this point. We only tied the series, so there’s nothing worth celebrating. We need to rigorously prepare for the next game,” Victolero said at the Araneta Coliseum on Friday.
Additionally, he pointed out that one of the team’s strong points is their resilience. The Hotshots managed to bounce back after suffering a big loss in Game 2, and then went on to win the next two games showcasing their unique style.
Magnolia didn’t just manage to overpower Beermen twice consecutively, but they also succeeded in limiting the opposing team to scores under 90 in Games 3 and 4.
Their superior performance in Game 4 especially pleased Victolero who was impressed by how his team handled and moved the ball. He praised their unselfishness and good decision making in finding superior shots. The Hotshots collectively achieved 20 assists and also managed to score 31 points from the bench.
The Magnolia Hotshots, including Tyler Bey and coach Victolero celebrated their Game 4 victory over San Miguel. Now, the series is at a 2-2 tie, with Game 5 scheduled for Sunday.
They executed an impressive 41% field goal shooting as a team, outclassing San Miguel who scored a 37% shooting rate. Victolero’s game plan going forward for Game 5 of the PBA Finals on Sunday, is for his team to “dig deep.” It was clear that he was quite optimistic about the Hotshots’ chances, as he concluded the team “likes their chances now.”
Going forward:
Despite their recent wins, Victolero insists that Magnolia Hotshots are still the underdogs.
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