A taste of victory
Coach LA Tenorio used wordplay to summarize Magnolia’s difficulties to start the PBA Commissioner’s Cup.
“Ironically we are called the Chicken Timplados, pero hindi namin mahanap ang tamang timpla (we couldn’t find the right mix),” Tenorio said after the Hotshots finally got on the win column on Saturday.
Magnolia found the right mix, at least for one game, by crushing guest team Macau, 121-109, at the Smart Araneta Coliseum behind a new import in Clint Chapman, who, despite being 37 years old, was impressive on both ends of the floor.
Chapman not only scored 39 points but hauled down 15 rebounds in a performance he, Tenorio and the rest of the Hotshots hope would be an auspicious sign.
The 6-foot-10 Chapman, who owns a well-traveled professional resume with stints in Europe, Japan and the Middle East, came in as a replacement for Nuni Omot—who was replaced despite a strong individual showing.
“Nothing against our former import … he was really a professional and he sacrificed a lot in practice,” said Tenorio. “But we need to get the right mix or the right piece in the puzzle.
‘Always tough’
Omot averaged 32.3 points, 7.3 rebounds and 6.0 assists, but Magnolia absorbed defeats in all three of his appearances—against Phoenix (101-98), NLEx (101-95) and Blackwater (97-91).
Chapman was said to have arrived on Monday, a day after Omot played his final game, as Magnolia opted for a bigger body.
“It’s always tough to come in and only have a few days to prepare for your team,” Chapman said. “But I think that’s why coach trusts me in terms of bringing an experienced player and bringing size because that’s what we need. We need defense, we need size in the paint and we need leadership.”
New coach
Chapman will have plenty of time to get more used to his team as Magnolia will look to fine-tune itself before returning to action on April 7 against Terrafirma at Ninoy Aquino Stadium.
The Black Knights, on the other hand, continued their miserable showing as guest participants in the midseason conference, dropping to a 0-4 record.
Macau, under new coach Marcus Elliott, gave the Hotshots periods of uncertainty, even erasing an 18-point deficit behind prolific outside shooting.
Chon Pong Lao, who scored 24 points, accounted for eight of the 17 triples Macau drained, but the first win proved to be elusive in the end.
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