MAGNOLIA Chicken Timplados management is so optimistic about the team’s chances in the coming 48th PBA season that it wants nothing but a championship following an impressive offseason build-up.
Team governor Rene Pardo bared the Hotshots' ultimate goal after they went 11-0 during the PBA on Tour offseason games played from May to July.
“My instructions to the boys are championship, no less,” said Pardo. “We will see. Hopefully, I can be correct.”
READ: Patience paying off as Jerrick Ahanmisi emerges as top Magnolia scorer
Magnolia has not won a championship since capturing its 18th in 2018 after beating Alaska for the Governors' Cup title. Paul Lee was named the Best Player of the Conference, while Mark Barroca claimed the Finals MVP award.
The preseason saw the Hotshots not only getting the usual numbers from the likes of Lee, Barroca, and Jio Jalalon but also the emergence of second-stringers Jerick Ahanmisi and James Laput.
Ahanmisi led the team in scoring during the PBA on Tour with an average of 13.7 points while Laput, who played behind Ian Sangalang and Rafi Reavis last season, averaged a team-high 10 a match during the offseason series.
“I would be a hypocrite if I say mahina ang team,” said Pardo. “As we have seen in the recent ‘On Tour’, medyo walang nakatalo sa amin at dalawang team lang ang less than 10 ang lamang namin. All the others were medyo naiwan.”
But Pardo said the wards of head coach Chito Victolero won't be complacent entering the season.
“That doesn’t say we will rest on that 11-0 run. We will still go after a championship na inaasam asam ng Magnolia team. 2018 pa kami huling nanalo,” said Pardo.
Get more of the latest sports news & updates on SPIN.ph
NOTICE ON UNAUTHORIZED AND UNLAWFUL USE, PUBLICATION, AND/OR DISSEMINATION OF SPIN.PH CONTENT: Please be notified that any unauthorized and unlawful use, publication, and/or dissemination of Spin.ph’s content and/or materials is a direct violation of its legal and exclusive rights to the same, and shall be subject to appropriate legal action/s.
