MANILA, Philippines – sMagnolia coach Chito Victolero emphasized the critical theme of survival in their latest victory, highlighting the team’s focus on urgency and maintaining the right mindset throughout the game. The Hotshots established control in the second quarter and sustained their momentum until the final whistle, showcasing both strategic and defensive mastery.

With the win, Magnolia improved its record to 5-6, putting them in a tie with San Miguel Beer and NLEX for the eighth spot in the standings. However, the Hotshots are not out of the woods yet, as they need to win their final elimination game against Meralco on Friday to secure at least a playoff for the final quarterfinals berth. Victolero stressed the importance of every remaining game and the team’s determination to stay in contention for the championship.

Victolero credited the players’ dedication during their 10-day break following a hard-fought 110-104 victory over Phoenix. During this time, the team focused on addressing weaknesses, particularly in their defensive efforts. Defense has been the team’s hallmark, and in their current do-or-die situation, they relied heavily on this strength to deliver results. Victolero acknowledged that the break provided the players with an opportunity to correct mistakes, fine-tune their strategies, and reinforce their defensive systems, which proved crucial in this critical game.

Survival was not just a theme for this game but also a rallying cry for the team as they extended their campaign and gave themselves another opportunity to prepare for the challenges ahead. Victolero expressed optimism about their chances and the players’ readiness to face the next hurdle.

On the other hand, Eastern suffered a significant setback in their pursuit of a top-two finish. The loss dropped their record to 7-4, complicating their path to securing a twice-to-beat advantage in the next round. To keep their hopes alive, Eastern must win their upcoming game against NLEX on Wednesday. The guest team will need to regroup quickly and learn from the lessons Magnolia taught them during their encounter.

Eastern’s struggles were evident throughout the game, as they were limited to just 31-of-70 shooting from the field, committed 21 turnovers, and were dominated on the boards with a 39-52 rebounding deficit. These challenges highlighted the team’s need for better execution and resilience under pressure.

Magnolia’s offense, in contrast, thrived, thanks to standout contributions from its bench players. Jerom Lastimosa and Zavier Lucero led the way with 20 points each, helping the Hotshots secure a commanding 53-24 advantage in bench scoring. Their performances underscored the depth and versatility of the team, providing a much-needed boost in critical moments.

Chris McLaughlin scored 20 points and pulled down 10 rebounds in a double-double, which was an outstanding showing for Eastern. Even with his impressive performance, the squad had trouble getting steady help from other important players. Only 18 points were scored by fellow starters Hayden Blankley and Ramon Cao combined, a deficit that highlighted Eastern’s reliance on individual effort rather than effective collaboration. The team’s ability to successfully compete against Magnolia’s depth and energy was severely hampered by the roster’s lack of balanced contributions.

Eastern’s difficulties were exacerbated by their incapacity to play well under duress, as they were beaten in a number of categories, such as rebounding and ball security. As the club gets closer to a must-win situation in their final elimination game against NLEX, these problems will need to be resolved swiftly. They need to win to maintain their aspirations of finishing in the top two, which would give them the important twice-to-beat advantage in the playoffs.

Magnolia, meantime, keeps her attention on surviving and shows tenacity and resolve in each game. The stakes have never been higher as both teams prepare for crucial games that will determine their postseason routes. Magnolia aims to maintain its momentum in order to guarantee a postseason berth, while Eastern needs to regroup and put up a more evenly distributed performance.

Scores at the end of the match

MAGNOLIA with 107 points for the win
Individual Scores: Ratliffe 25, Lastimosa 20, Lucero 20, Sangalang 14, Barroca 11, Dela Rosa 8, Abueva 5, Alfaro 4, Lee 0, Dionisio 0, Laput 0.

EASTERN with 78 points
Individual Scores: McLaughlin 20, Yang 14, Lam 13, Cao 9, Blankley 9, Guinchard 4, Cheung 3, Pok 3, Chan 2, Zhu 1, Xu 0.

Scores per quarter
24-19, 50-31, 78-56, 107-78