Matthew Wright had just nailed a huge step-back triple with 3.2 seconds left that put the Phoenix Fuel Masters up, 88-87, over the Magnolia Hotshots. Chito Victolero then signaled to the technical committee. A timeout was called.
Wright was then awarded a free throw. But Magnolia no longer had any timeouts available prior, as Victolero had just called his last timeout 19 seconds earlier.
Victolero knew that he had no timeouts remaining though, saying that it was just his “mannerism”.
“Siguro, it’s my mannerism lang siguro. I think it’s my fault.
“During the huddle, I know naman na there’s no more timeouts e,” he shared. “Siguro nga, ‘di kami nagkaintindihan nung committee table. Okay na yan. Wala namang problema diyan. ‘Di naman yun yung nag-decide nung game.”
But it was just the icing on the cake on a disastrous debut for the Hotshots.
For the last two years, they have owned the Fuel Masters, beating them every time since the 2016 Commissioner’s Cup. And they were on their way to it, leading by as much as 16 points midway through the third frame.
However, the Hotshots let their guard down, as Jason Perkins and Willie Wilson led the comeback while Wright finished the game off.
“It’s our fault e. We controlled the game, but kumbaga, binigyan namin ng chance yung Phoenix makabalik. We were out-rebounded – siguro, yun yung isa, yung second chance points then yung turnover points,” recalled Victolero, as Phoenix out-rebounded Magnolia, 56-48, that led to 24 Phoenix points.
“I think yun yung problema namin. Sayang, but that’s basketball e.”
Still, with 10 more games into the elimination round, Victolero remains confident that they will let not let this loss affect them the rest of the way.
“Beterano naman tong team na to and they know we need to bounce back for the next game. ‘Di excuses na two weeks lang kami nag-ensayo, pero actually, maganda naman yung pinakita namin,” he expressed.
“Siguro, yun lang yung end game.”
