Chito Victolero relieved as Magnolia advances to Finals

[av_one_full first min_height=” vertical_alignment=” space=” custom_margin=” margin=’0px’ padding=’0px’ border=” border_color=” radius=’0px’ background_color=” src=” background_position=’top left’ background_repeat=’no-repeat’ animation=”]

[av_heading heading=’Chito Victolero relieved as Magnolia advances to Finals’ tag=’h3′ style=’blockquote modern-quote’ size=’30’ subheading_active=’subheading_below’ subheading_size=’18’ padding=’10’ color=” custom_font=” av-medium-font-size-title=” av-small-font-size-title=” av-mini-font-size-title=” av-medium-font-size=” av-small-font-size=” av-mini-font-size=” admin_preview_bg=”]
BY ADRIAN STEWART CO
[/av_heading]

[av_textblock size=” font_color=” color=” av-medium-font-size=” av-small-font-size=” av-mini-font-size=” admin_preview_bg=”]
Wednesday, March 21, 2018
[/av_textblock]

[av_textblock size=’18’ font_color=” color=” av-medium-font-size=” av-small-font-size=” av-mini-font-size=” admin_preview_bg=”]

MANILA – Magnolia Hotshots head coach Chito Victolero suffered three consecutive semifinals heartbreaks and was glad he didn’t suffer another one as they advanced to the Finals of the 2017-2018 PBA Philippine Cup.

Hotshots defeated NLEX Road Warriors 96-89 during Game 6 of their semifinals series on Tuesday night.

“It feels good because we finally got over the hump from last year when we kept on falling short in the semis,” said Victolero, who moved to Hotshots last season after he was relieved as acting coach of Kia Picanto.

“Three semifinal appearances are not easy. But I said we have to be patient, we need to go through the process. And this is it. We got it. It’s not easy to get to the Finals because you have to go through a process,” he said.

Hotshots lost in the semifinals in three conferences last season – to Barangay Ginebra San Miguel Kings in the Philippine Cup, San Miguel Beermen in the Commissioner’s Cup and Meralco Bolts in the Governors’ Cup.

“Last season I was always trying to convince my players that defense will win games and get us to the Finals,” Victolero said. “I think our chemistry was lacking, that’s why we fell short of the Finals. So I worked on that.”

This was also the Hotshots franchise’s first finals appearance in four years, from when the team completed a rare Grand Slam under now Kings head coach Tim Cone.

“When I took over, I asked them, ‘Are you hungry to win a championship?’ And they said yes,” Victolero said./PN
[/av_textblock]

[/av_one_full]