MANILA – Magnolia Chicken Timplados Hotshots and San Miguel Beermen will begin their clash for the 2023-2024 PBA Commissioner’s Cup crown in Game 1 tonight at the SM Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City.
The series-opener is slated at eight in the evening with the Hotshots aiming for its 15th PBA championship, first since 2018, while the Beermen is eyeing its 29th crown, first since 2023.
The Hotshots reached the finals after finishing off Phoenix Super LPG Fuel Masters in four games, while the Beermen swept the dethroned champions Barangay Ginebra San Miguel Kings in three matches.
Hotshots head coach Chito Victolero said making a return trip to the finals is a product of their lengthy offseason preparation after falling short of reaching the championship round in the last five years.
“We started our journey months ago and we dreamed of another stint to the PBA finals. We prepared hard for this conference, we are very committed even during the pre-season games,” Victolero said.
“Now that we are in the finals, it is another challenge for us. Hindi pa dito natatapos ‘yung trabaho namin,” he added. “We just achieved 75 percent of our goal and we still need 25 percent more to complete our mission.”
Beermen head coach Jorge Gallent, for his part, said he will continue to rely on the unity of his players when they tangle with the Hotshots in the best-of-seven championship series.
“It’s just our unity. We play as a unit and we try to win and lose as a unit. We just have to stay together if we want to achieve what we want to achieve,” said Gallent, who is on his first PBA finals appearance as a head coach.
The Hotshots will be relying on reinforcement Tyler Bey along with veteran locals Paul Lee, Andy Mark Barroca, Jiovani Jalalon, Ian Sangalang, Calvin Abueva, Rome dela Rosa, Aris Dionisio, and James Laput.
The Beermen, on the other hand, is banking on import Bennie Boatwright Jr. with locals June Mar Fajardo, Jaymar Perez, Ilonggo Jericho Cruz, Marcio Lassiter, Chris Ross, Moala Tautuaa, Jeron Teng, Celedonio Trollano, Terrence Romeo, and Vic Manuel./PN
