Victolero wooing Cinderella

IS momentum with San Miguel Beer? Meaning, are the Beermen back as heavy favorites anew?

Seemingly, yes, as SMB and Magnolia tangle in Game Three on Sunday, April 1, of their best-ofseven Finals for the P BA Philippine Cup.

Magnolia had snatched a 105103 squeaker from the so-called jaws of defeat after erasing a huge, 20-point, third-quarter deficit in Game One.

But in Game Two on March 25, San Miguel mended its ways, boldly blocked another brewing Magnolia rally and proudly produced a 92-77 rout to equalize the playoffs at 1-1.

While they panicked to lose Game One in shameful fashion, the Beermen battled back like true defending champions when the Hotshots threatened anew to wipe out a commanding 21-point lag.

Arwind Santos tossed in the fire-stopper, banging home a three to ignite a 100 counter attack that restored SMB’s 17point bubble after Magnolia had again crept to within seven points.

“I just wanted to restore order as the team started to get rattled again,” said Arwind in Tagalog of his rebellion-diffuser of a triple.

Good job, indeed, from the SMB team captain himself, who went on to finish with a game-high 24 points and emerge the game’s most valuable player.

Sunday’s Game Three (I wrote this way ahead of deadline tyranny) will therefore test SMB’s championship readiness once more even as they face a now well-rested Magnolia squad.

Weren’t the Hotshots yakking much about their lack of rest before Game One, having figured successively in physicalladen semifinal games in their march to the Finals?

But how come they still had the energy to steal Game One? Lucky?

Apparently, yes, since Magnolia failed to duplicate its Game One intensity that had pitifully conked out in the homestretch of Game Two.

“It’s now down to a best-of-five affair,” said SMB coach Leo Austria, who also has to contend with the added pressure of maintaining his unbeaten record of winning all five previous Finals appearances.

And, because of that, Magnolia coach Chito Victolero might be entertaining thoughts of “nothing to lose.” Isn’t he in his first Finals to begin with?

It is safe to say though that it’s still too early to tell if Cinderella’s on Victolero’s side.