Magnolia Hotshots Head Coach Chito Victolero was amazed with the condition of his players when they returned to their team practice last Thursday in Batangas City.
According to Victolero, his squad’s game shape did not change much even if the last game of the Hotshots was way back in October of last year.
After their quarterfinals exit in the 2020 Philippine Cup, the players went into self-training for months before the PBA teams were allowed to do team practice outside the NCR Plus Bubble.
“Actually, impressed at saka nabigla rin ako sa kondisyon ng mga players. I thought na medyo mahihirapan ako makabalik sa kondisyon, but I think ginawa nila ‘yong part nila no’ng wala pa kaming practice. Maganda ‘yong nakita ko because ‘yong inaasahan ko na kondisyon nila mas nalampasan pa ‘yong expectations. So ‘yon, masaya kasi hindi masyadong bumaba ‘yong hinahabol namin,” Victolero said.
But just like the rest of the PBA teams, the Hotshots are also adjusting to training outside the NCR Plus.
Victolero said that most of their players and coaches stay in a hotel close to their training venue in Batangas City every time the team has a back-to-back training schedule.
“We’re trying to maximize siguro… ‘yong time. Mahirap din kasi ‘yong biyahe sa totoo lang. It’s hard for the players also na mag-araw-araw doon. We just try to… mabalanse lang namin ‘yong pagbiyahe namin,” Victolero added.
Once the restrictions in the NCR Plus ease up, the PBA teams can go back to their respective original training facilities.
‘Filipino Sakuragi’ Retires
Meanwhile, veteran Hotshots forward Jean Marc Pingris has retired from the league.
The 6-foot-4 big man himself announced this on Tuesday night in his Instagram account.
In his post, the Filipino Sakuragi looked back to the past events of his life since he was a young boy hanging out in the marketplace until he was drafted to the PBA in 2004.
The Pozzorubio, Pangasinan-native player also thanked everyone who was with him and who helped him throughout his basketball career.
Pingris stayed in the league for 16 years, with nine championships up his sleeves including a Grand Slam win with the San Mig Coffee Mixers, two Finals MVP Awards, 15 All-Star selections and three Defensive Player of the Year Awards. – Report by Ma. Isabel Reyes/JBB – rir
