Magnolia head coach Chito Victolero has already accepted that the Hotshots will be fighting for their survival in their last four games in the PBA Season 49 Commissioner’s Cup.

Sitting at the ninth spot with a 3-5 record, the Hotshots need to string together some victories to position themselves for a playoff seat, beginning in their crucial tiff against the San Miguel Beermen at the Ynares Center in Antipolo on Sunday, Jan. 12.

Both squads, the protagonists of last season's Commissioner's Cup finals, are ironically in an unfamiliar territory ahead of their 7:30 p.m. clash with the Beermen also looking to regain their footing after back-to-back losses that put them at the bottom half of the standings.

Setting up the table is an interesting battle between high-scoring George King and PBA import yardstick Justin Brownlee as Blackwater meets Barangay Ginebra in the first game at 5 p.m.

While Magnolia picked up the much-needed win against Terrafirma last Friday, the Hotshots however barely survived the brave stand from the Dyip and only came away with the win thanks to some timely hits from rejuvenated import Ricardo Ratliffe.

“It’s another grind out game for us. Siguro andyan na kami eh ganyan na ‘yung tema ng mga games namin, (do-or-die), close games, this time we closed out the game. We executed well we were disciplined down the stretch,” Victolero said after Magnolia’s 89-84 win over Terrafirma.

“Credit to the players, there is pressure but they are always there to execute on both ends of the floor,” he added.

Victolero, however, admitted that the team cannot afford to put up such a performance against the Beermen.

“It will be a battle, grinding game, both teams need to win. I think they are also in the middle of the pack. It's a dogfight on Sunday,” added the veteran coach who will be banking on Ratliffe as well as local stars Mark Barroca, Calvin Abueva and Ian Sangalang in the contest where they are expected to miss the services of ace guard Paul Lee.

Lee, according to Victolero, is out with a meniscus injury and will be out for at least a week.

For the part of San Miguel which also recently crashed out of the EASL season, the team hopes to break out of the slump after losses to Eastern and Ginebra in the PBA.

Best Player of the Conference race leader June Mar Fajardo will need to do more as well as fellow locals in Marcio Lassiter, Juami Tiongson and CJ Perez if the team wishes to get back on track especially with lingering questions still surrounding SMB’s import situation.