Chemistry is Magnolia’s most potent weapon

Magnolia coach Chito Victolero believes Magnolia is the best team in the PBA when it comes to cohesion, a weapon the Hotshots will wield as they try to defend their Governors’ Cup throne.

“That’s our strength,” he told the Inquirer on Friday.

“I always say it—that our chemistry is the best among the 12 teams,” said Victolero, who hopes to maintain that strength by bringing back import Romeo Travis.

“[The tournament format] has a very small window for rest and preparation, so getting an import that we already know is a big factor,” he said. “It’s an opportunity we hope to turn into an advantage. It’s the same case for other teams, like Ginebra.”

Half of the league’s teams will be fielding a PBA-tested veteran. Four of those, like Travis, will be reprising roles with their previous teams: Eugene Phelps (Phoenix), Olu Ashaoulu (NLEX), Justin Brownlee (Ginebra), and Allen Durham (Meralco).

But Victolero stressed that the American import, who was named Governors’ Cup’s Best Import in 2015 and can be best remembered for a 50-point showcase in the Finals game against the Gin Kings, is merely a cog in the Hotshots machine.

“It’s really a team effort (over) here,” he said.

Magnolia will come off a Commissioner’s Cup stint where the team’s playoff run was cut short, but Victolero sees that both ways.

“It’s unfortunate because we didn’t make a deep playoff run. But we’re also fortunate because my players got a much-needed break.”