Tenorio, Hotshots aim to keep rolling

Games today:

(Smart Araneta Coliseum)

5:15 p.m. — Magnolia vs Titan Ultra

7:30 p.m. — Ginebra vs Meralco

Magnolia head coach LA Tenorio believes in the old basketball adage that a team is only as good as its last game.

So, he expects the Hotshots to put their impressive opening victory behind them as they brace for another tough challenge against the hungry Titan Ultra in the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) Season 50 Philippine Cup today at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

Tipoff is at 5:15 p.m. to be followed by the Barangay Ginebra and Meralco night cap at 7:30 p.m.

Tenorio debuted with a bang, besting his former mentor Tim Cone and the Kings in an 80-73 shocker on 5 October at the same venue.

“I cannot be complacent just because we got this game. We got this win, we got this off our chest, but this is just the start of our journey,” Tenorio said.

“What I tell my players, we have to get better every day. We have to be disciplined, we have to be focused on the things we need to do,” he added.

Magnolia’s young core made most of the damage last game with Zav Lucero, Javi Gomez de Liaño and Jerom Lastimosa anchoring the charge.

The same is expected of the trio, guided by veterans Ian Sangalang, Mark Barroca and Rome dela Rosa.

All advantages point to the Hotshots as they are not only taking on a team coming from a 92-129 beating at the hands of Converge last Saturday but could also play sans seasoned star Calvin Abueva.

The former Magnolia forward, who was traded last May, went down with a hamstring injury with 7:13 left in the first quarter against the FiberXers. He was coming off a career-high 41-point performance in the Giant Risers’ opening day 100-96 stunner over Meralco.