Photo by Tristan Tamayo/ INQUIRER.net
For Marc Pingris, Magnolia needed a few bumps here and there to knock some sense back into the team.
Bullied by the desperate GlobalPort to start the game to fall behind by as much as 20 in the first quarter, the two-seed Hotshots were shell-shocked as the prospects of wasting their twice-to-beat advantage slowly loomed over their heads.
“In the first quarter, we didn’t show any defense. We were too excited to beat them and that’s how we fell behind,” he said in Filipino.
“Coach [Chito Victolero] told us to relax and remind ourselves who we are, how our defense was, and play our game. That’s what we did: bank on our defense.”
With the Hotshots playing again like the juggernaut that they were in the 2018 PBA Philippine Cup, it didn’t take long before they overtook the Batang Pier and claimed the 86-79 win on Tuesday to once again proceed to the semifinals.
Pingris could not let Magnolia back down from the opposition as it matched GlobalPort’s physicality on his way to 13 points, nine rebounds, and two blocks in the victory.
The veteran forward is relishing the new physicality in the PBA, which has been one of the changes under new commissioner Willie Marcial.
“The game in the PBA now is different. It’s more physical and I like it because we’re used to that type of game. That’s how it is in the provinces: a little physical but without any intention to hurt,” he said.
But Pingris is not falling complacent as Magnolia prepares for its semifinals date against either NLEX or Alaska.
“We can’t tell what will happen because the way the game is officiated, it changes in the semis and in the Finals,” he said. “You can’t take away the physicality, but you should always have the right mindset to play your game. Hopefully, with the changes, we can have the opportunity that we’ve long prayed for, to once again make it to the Finals.”