Resurgence of NorthPort and Co. excites Victolero: 'Yan ang PBA'

Resurgence of NorthPort and Co. excites Victolero: ‘Yan ang PBA’

MAGNOLIA has a lot of catching-up to do in the PBA 48th Season Philippine Cup.

Finding itself at the bottom half of the team standings after their runner-up finish in the Commissioner’s Cup, the Hotshots came away with an important victory on Wednesday when it defeated NorthPort, 104-97, at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium.

The Hotshots improved to 2-2 (win-loss), but will still have overcome not just the traditional title contenders in San Miguel and TNT, but also emerging teams such as NLEX, Terrafirma, and Blackwater.

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Magnolia coach Chito Victolero said the team treated the game against NorthPort as a crucial one since a three-game losing skid could hurt their chances of a place in the quarterfinals.

While his team’s road to the playoffs will be a lot tougher, there is a part Victolero that also likes the landscape of the current conference that will hope to draw renewed interest from fans of the league.

“Parang backs against the wall kasi we don’t want na mag-1-3 because all the teams are improving. The Terrafirmas, the Blackwaters, NLEX, NorthPort,” said Victolero.

ian sangalang northport

PHOTO: Jerome Ascano

“Maganda for the PBA. Maganda for the fans,” he added.

The win moved Magnolia in eighth place but only because of a better winning percentage compared to teams such as Meralco and Rain or Shine, which has a 3-4 win-loss record but are also in the hunt for a higher seeding in the quarterfinals.

Even with its loss, NorthPort remains at third place with a 4-2 record and in the hunt for one of the two twice-to-beat incentives in the quarterfinals.

Terrafirma was also defeated by San Miguel, 113-110, on Wednesday but the Dyip remain at fourth place with a 4-4 slate.

Victolero hopes that the high quality of competition that would bring unpredictability to the games wouldn’t wane in the following weeks of the elimination round.

‘Yan ang PBA’

“I hope na ‘yung competition, sobrang ganda. You don’t expect kung sino ang mananalo,” said Victolero.

“Sana, hanggang dulo, maging maayos ‘yung liga natin and ‘yung competition, sobrang tight. Ang ganda ng labanan. Even the first game, nakita niyo naman, talagang dikit. ‘Yan ang PBA,” said Victolero, referring to the San Miguel-Terrafirma game that went down in the final possession.