Magnolia Hotshots head coach Chito Victolero had an uncharacteristic outburst during Game Three of their 2018 PBA Governors’ Cup semifinal series with the Barangay Ginebra San Miguel, Wednesday night.
The usually-cool tactician was booted out of the match with 5:08 left in the fourth quarter for garnering his second technical foul of the match, which he got for apparently throwing the ball at one of the game referees.
The Hotshots still weathered Victolero’s absence and even managed to take a two-point lead with less than a minute left to play after going down by 11 points. Unfortunately, their run fell short and they ended up losing, 103-107.
“I think the emotions. Na-frustrate lang din ako sa referees,” he said.
“But it’s my fault. Charge it to experience.”
But as humbled as he is by that ejection, Victolero aired his disagreement with the free throw disparity between his team and the Gin Kings – the former were rewarded with 18, while the latter received 45.
“Yun lang medyo talagang sa stats, talagang talo kami sa free throws. 45 to 16 lang yata. I don’t know what happened.
“But we need to review the game and then try to see kung anong ginagawa nila na hindi namin ginagawa, and I think we’re more aggressive than them. Siguro kailangan pa namin i-double effort namin para makatabla kami sa disparity,” he opined.
The Hotshots were vocal after Game Two last Monday that they would be treating Game Three as a do-or-die match. Though they came close but fell short, Victolero said that they’re keeping the same mentality for Friday’s Game Four.
“The next game is also a do-or-die for us also. Yun lang, kailangan lang namin mag-prepare hard mentally including the coaching staff, me and the rest of the players,” he said. “Inaasahan namin namin na it’s a long series.
“Now 2-1 so same mindset pa rin namin do-or-die heading into Game Four.”
