It was simply unacceptable.
Magnolia coach Chito Victolero couldn’t help but lament the team’s lethargic second quarter in the 103-95 loss to San Miguel in Game 1 of the PBA Commissioner’s Cup Finals on Friday.
As the number one defensive team, giving up 41 points in a quarter was simply unacceptable.
“That’s too much,” Victolero said after the match at the SM Mall of Asia Arena.
That spelled doom for the Hotshots. Though they tried to claw back from a 20-point deficit, the Hotshots just couldn’t complete the furious comeback.
“I think we lost the one quarter, which was the big quarter. 'Yung second quarter. We lost I think by 20 points. It was the only quarter na malaki yung binigay namin,” he said.
But the best-of-seven series is far from over.
Victolero, who got plenty to be happy about after his third string showed out in the final three minutes of action to make things interesting, is not pushing the panic button yet.
“We're still positive, this is a series--not a do or die game. So we just try to apply adjustments siguro, mga mali namin titignan siguro,” he said. “We played very good defense in the second half, and titignan namin kung ano pang pwedeng gawin don.”
Victolero and his chargers look to bounce back come Game 2 on Sunday at the same venue.