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    How Alfrancis Chua rates SMB performance at Govs' Cup under Gallent

    'The players are reacting well. Okay naman yung kinikilos ng players sa kanya, so we’ll see. He did a good job'
    Apr 6, 2023
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    SMC sports director Alfrancis Chua is sticking to the positives of San Miguel and Magnolia campaigns.
    PHOTO: Jerome Ascano

    WHILE Barangay Ginebra is flying the San Miguel Corp. banner in the PBA Governors’ Cup Finals against TNT, not a few fans are wondering what could’ve been for the two other SMC sister teams.

    SMC sports director Alfrancis Chua reflected on the performances of San Miguel and Magnolia in the season-ending conference, sticking to the positives after falling short in their respective campaigns.

    Alfrancis Chua on SMB, Magnolia performances

    Winless in their first three games with Eric McCree, Magnolia turned to former Terrafirma reinforcement Antonio Hester, who led the Chicken Timplados Hotshots to a 7-1 record for the rest of the eliminations to finish as the No. 5 seed.

    The Hotshots, however, gave up a late seven-point lead to Meralco in the quarterfinals, allowing the twice-to-beat Bolts to escape with the win in overtime to advance to the semifinals.

    “Siguro kinulang,” Chua said. “Panalo dapat pero sa huli, nagkulang. Nahabol sila. But basically, when they changed their import, maganda yung run nila. So okay naman.”

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    “Siguro kulang lang talaga sa tao kasi wala si Ian, so yung adjustment,” he added, referring to Magnolia star big man Ian Sangalang, who is recovering from a thyroid gland illness.

    San Miguel, on the other hand, finished as the second seed with a 9-2 mark, then dispatched Converge in the quarterfinals,

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    The Beermen, though, simply found their match in Ginebra, which outclassed them in a rare sweep in a best-of-five series in the Final Four.

    “San Miguel, they were playing so well. Of course, hindi naman madali yung nakalaban nila (sa semis). Mabigat din yung nakalaban,” Chua said.

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      “Tingin ko, yung laban nila: matagal nakapagpahinga, nag-number one, number two,” he added after the Beermen licked their wounds from their woeful East Asia Super League Champions Week stint. “Tapos pag dating ng quarters, bugbugan. Nung nakapasok ng semis, mukhang nag-relax.”

      “But again, they got three chances, best-of-five ‘yun. Mas maganda lang nilaro ng Ginebra talaga,” he continued.

      Still, Chua is content with the Beermen’s showing under first-year coach Jorge Gallent, who took over from Leo Austria.

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      “Walang assess-assess. Hindi naman sila makakapasok dati sa semis kung hindi din dahil sa kanya,” the SMC boss said of Gallent, who led SMB to a semifinal stint in the Commissioner’s Cup while Austria was out with COVID-19.

      “The players are reacting well. Okay naman yung kinikilos ng players sa kanya, so we’ll see. He did a good job,” he added. “Actually, kami nakiusap na siya mag-coach eh. Hindi naman siya nag-apply. Kami nag-decide na siya muna mag-coach, dahil siya yung nag-coach nung na-COVID si Leo.”

      Making offseason moves for San Miguel and Magnolia is still far from Chua’s mind as he keeps his focus on guiding Ginebra to another Governors’ Cup crown.

      “Wala naman (offseason moves). Matagal pa liga. Pag-usapan muna natin yung championship,” Chua said.

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        In the title series, Chua cautions the Gin Kings against a worthy adversary in the Tropang Giga.

        “Confident kami siguro kung isa lang player nila, lima kami,” Chua said. “Hindi kami confident. Laban ‘to. Every championship naman, ganun kami. We’re not confident. We just play. I told the coaches and even the players: just plan well, be prepared, and let’s play.”

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        “Hindi mo masasabi kung ano talaga. Katulad ngayon, hindi naman natin nasabi na nawala si Japeth, nawala si LA, so mahirap eh. Kailangan lang preparado lagi. Kailangan dadating sila dun talagang mentally, physically prepared,” he concluded.

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        SMC sports director Alfrancis Chua is sticking to the positives of San Miguel and Magnolia campaigns.
        PHOTO: Jerome Ascano
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