Not even a 52-day layoff could knock the Magnolia Hotshots off their stride, as they picked up right where they left off, stretching their winning run to five games with back-to-back victories in the resumption of the PBA Season 50 Governors' Cup.
But no win carried more weight than their 112-93 statement victory over Barangay Ginebra in the second Manila Clasico of the conference on Sunday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum. Beyond extending their streak, the Hotshots sent a message to the rest of Group B, securing a quarterfinal berth in a group where every win could prove crucial heading into the playoffs.
However, the challenge for Magnolia goes beyond keeping its momentum alive. The Hotshots have repeatedly found themselves falling short in the quarterfinals, with their last semifinal appearance coming in the 2023-24 Commissioner's Cup.
But during this stretch, the team has more reasons to believe that they can really contend for the championship.
Guards are getting unlocked
One of the biggest adjustments head coach LA Tenorio has made this conference is finding the right balance between his two lead guards, Mark Barroca and Jerom Lastimosa. Over the past seven games, the 40-year-old Barroca has held on to the starting spot, with the sophomore Lastimosa serving as the first guard off the bench.
The rotation has given Magnolia two different looks at the point, allowing the Hotshots to sustain their offensive rhythm without compromising their backcourt production.
That balance was on full display against Ginebra, as Barroca used his veteran savvy to establish Magnolia's early advantage. He repeatedly put pressure on fellow former FEU Tamaraw RJ Abarrientos, attacking off the dribble and forcing the Ginebra guard into two early fouls that prompted head coach Tim Cone to pull him out of the game.
Barroca finished the opening period with eight points while setting the pace for Magnolia's half-court offense, using his penetration to create scoring opportunities and keep the defense on its heels. Overall, the former Gilas Pilipinas guard has gave solid contributions of 9.7 points, 3.9 rebounds, and 4.4 rebounds on 55.3 true shooting percentage in nine games.
Once Barroca took a seat, Lastimosa stepped in to become the primary initiator, keeping the Hotshots' offense humming with his ability to create shots and find open teammates. Across Magnolia's first two games since the break, the former Adamson Soaring Falcons guard has averaged 20 points and seven assists while posting an efficient 66.5 true shooting percentage, showcasing his growing comfort with an expanded offensive role.
What makes Lastimosa particularly valuable is how he stretches Magnolia's pick-and-roll attack. His pull-up shooting forces opposing bigs to step up and contain the ball handler, opening driving lanes for him to attack the paint. When defenses commit to stopping his penetration, he has also shown the vision to hit the rolling big man with pocket passes, forcing the low man to choose between protecting the rim and staying attached to his own assignment. That combination of scoring gravity and playmaking gives Magnolia another reliable way to generate quality looks in the half court.
With greater responsibility on his shoulders, Lastimosa is embracing the opportunity as Magnolia enters the stretch run of the eliminations.
"During the break, talagang pinaghandaan namin, not only me, and yung buong team talaga. And noong nag-break na, mas maaga kami bumalik sa practice kasi nga nandon yung momentum namin, kaya credit to all my teammates and coaches," Lastimosa told ESPN.
Lineup versatility
Magnolia's ability to put legitimate size across multiple positions is becoming one of its biggest advantages, giving the Hotshots more flexibility to create mismatches on offense while making life difficult for opposing scorers on the other end.
Over the past two games, Magnolia has deployed Rome Dela Rosa at shooting guard, KJ Buffen and Zav Lucero at the forward spots, and either James Laput or Cliff Jopia at center, with Mark Barroca orchestrating the offense. The combination gives the Hotshots size at nearly every position without sacrificing their ability to play through the paint or generate perimeter looks. With Buffen providing a perimeter scoring presence and the frontcourt offering multiple options as screeners and finishers, Magnolia can attack different defensive coverages while using its length to disrupt opponents on the other end.
What makes this approach even more effective is that Magnolia can maintain much of that versatility when it turns to its second unit. Two young contributors who have benefited from the rotation are Chris Koon and Yukien Andrada, whose complementary skill sets give the Hotshots additional ways to space the floor and attack closeouts.
After moving in and out of the rotation early in the conference, Koon has started to find his rhythm by using his 6-foot-4 frame and guard-like skills to attack gaps, drive into the paint, and make plays for teammates. Across Magnolia's last two games, the former Ateneo Blue Eagle has averaged 8.0 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 3.0 assists in just 17.9 minutes per contest.
Meanwhile, Andrada has earned a longer leash as a floor-spacing forward, taking advantage of the attention Buffen and Lucero draw when defenses commit two defenders to the ball. The team's best stretch four has knocked down 52.6% of his three-point attempts, going 10-for-19 from beyond the arc in nine games this conference, giving Magnolia another weapon to punish defensive rotations and prevent opposing bigs from sitting back in the paint.
Yet Lucero remains the player who best embodies Magnolia's positional versatility. His ability to defend multiple positions, switch onto perimeter players, and provide help defense around the rim allows the Hotshots to play bigger without becoming immobile, while his offensive skill set gives them another forward who can operate beyond the restricted area. It's evidenced by his impressive average in the past two games of 19.0 points and 6.0 rebounds on 45.5% from beyond the arc.
"For us, it's just staying in rhythm through practice and working hard to get ready because we know that we want to make it further in this [conference]," Lucero said.