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Manila Bulletin devider Sports devider Basketball devider Magnolia sizes up playoff chances vs defending champ SMB

Magnolia sizes up playoff chances vs defending champ SMB

Published Nov 6, 2025 02:29 pm

At A Glance

  • Magnolia is out to prove that its strong start is far from being a fluke as it faces defending champion San Miguel in the PBA Season 50 Philippine Cup at the Ynares Center in Montalban, Friday, Nov. 7.
Magnolia is out to prove that its strong start is far from being a fluke as it faces defending champion San Miguel in the PBA Season 50 Philippine Cup at the Ynares Center in Montalban, Friday, Nov. 7.
The Hotshots battle the mighty Beermen in a titanic collision at 7:30 p.m., with a clash between TNT Tropang 5G and Terrafirma Dyip raising the curtain at 5:15 p.m.
While head coach LA Tenorio expressed satisfaction at what he’s been seeing from his team, especially defensively, he stressed that Magnolia should aim higher if it wishes to contend for the title.
“So far so good. We've been practicing really well. Players are buying into the system. And gusto talaga nila dumepensa. Yun kasi yung araw araw, feeling ko naiirita na sila sakin, na lagi ko sinasabi. We have to defend,” said Tenorio as the Hotshots eye a share of the lead with the Rain or Shine Elasto Painters.
“So far I like what I'm seeing but again we are just going into the half (of eliminations) so we cannot be satisfied in everything that we do,” he stressed.
But that defense will surely be put to a tough challenge especially against an offensive juggernaut team like the Beermen.
Led by nine-time Most Valuable Player June Mar Fajardo, who has been lording it over inside the paint, SMB is looking like it finally found its groove after stringing together three straight victories to recover from a flat 0-2 start.
Aside from Fajardo, the Beermen are loaded with plenty of weapons with CJ Perez, Marcio Lassiter, Mo Tautuaa, Jericho Cruz and Juami Tiongson, who had a breakout performance for SMB in its last game.
The Beermen took down another emerging contender in the Converge FiberXers, 96-90 – something they aim to replicate against the Hotshots, who, on the other hand, are not lacking in quality players with the likes of Zav Lucero and Jerom Lastimosa leading the way.
Meanwhile in the opening game, the Tropang 5G are also looking to get a share of the lead when they tangle against the slipping but still dangerous Dyip.
TNT, behind the stellar play from Rey Nambatac, has continued to live up to its powerhouse status and it should not let up even against a hungry Terrafirma side.
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