Young guns keeping Hotshots unscathed

Magnolia is on a roll in the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) Philippine Cup, all thanks to its youngbloods led by Zav Lucero and Jerom Lastimosa stepping up to the challenge.

Head coach Chito Victolero praised his young players for providing the much-needed firepower and hustle as the Hotshots remain unbeaten in three outings to take the solo lead in the all-Filipino conference.

Lucero and Lastimosa delivered the goods at crunch time in Magnolia’s 98-95 overtime escape over erstwhile undefeated San Miguel Beer last Wednesday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

The 6-foot-6 Lucero finished with a game-high 24 points while Lastimosa, the No. 9 pick in the last Draft, dropped five of his 21 points in the extension to help the Hotshots complete a dramatic comeback from a 14-point third quarter deficit.

“Our youth, and the combination of the veterans and the youth, is a big factor for us,” Victolero said.

“As I said before, these guys, Zavier, Jerom, Aris (Dionisio) and Peter (Alfaro) will be a big factor for us in this conference to support our veterans.”

Lucero and Lastimosa were instrumental in Magnolia’s fourth quarter fightback, combining for 12 of the team’s 26 points.

Lastimosa even atoned for a missed free throw with 12.9 seconds left in regulation that could’ve given them the lead, by scoring five in overtime and dishing out a crucial assist for Mark Barroca’s dagger jumper with seven seconds left.

“Jerom is a fighter. Actually, in the last possessions, I wanted to take him out to give him a little rest, but he told me not to sub him. He wants to play,” Victolero said of the Adamson University product.

He also lauded the consistency of Lucero, a vital cog in University of the Philippines’ University Athletic Association of the Philippines title in 2022.

“Zavier has been very consistent,” Victolero said.

The Magnolia mentor admired the maturity beyond their years shown by the duo.

“They can deliver in the crucial moment together with Zavier. They are mentally strong. Coming to this game, in college, they know how to play in the very crucial moments of the game,” he added.

Victolero felt his team needed the kind of win the Hotshots pulled off against the Beermen to build momentum and confidence.

“We need this kind of game, an overtime game, a grinding game to test out character and see where we are at right now in this stage of the conference after our first three games,” he said.