Hotshots storm back from 26 points vs Ginebra after getting an earful from coach

MANILA, Philippines -- A halftime scolding seemingly sparked the comeback effort of the Magnolia Hotshots in their Manila Clasico clash against the Barangay Ginebra San Miguel in the PBA Commissioner's Cup on Sunday.

Ginebra led by as much as 26 points, 51-26, in the second quarter after a pair of Christian Standhardinger free throws.

At the half, Hotshots head coach Chito Victolero said he was shouting at the team to try to fire them up.

"At halftime, I kept on reminding them, actually shouting at them about how they outworked us in the first half, outhustled us in the first half, and they bullied us in the first half," Victolero told reporters.

"I challenged these guys to play the Magnolia Hotshots basketball system, which is sacrificing and ball movement and our defensive mindset. Because they scored 60 points in the first half and that’s not our system," he added.

This seemingly lit a fire under Victolero's players, as they cut the huge deficit to just eight heading into the final quarter.

The Hotshots eventually overtook their rivals following a pair of free throws by Tyler Bey, 92-91.

A split from the line by Jio Jalalon set the final score, 93-91.

"I have never seen coach Chito like that, so for me, I felt it," Bey told reporters after the game.

"I felt the energy, I felt the passion, I felt how bad he wanted it. We all wanted it. After that, it was just on us. We are the players on the court, he’s the coach, so we do what we have to do," he added.

Jio Jalalon, who was one of the players who sparked the furious comeback rally, said the team did not play Magnolia basketball in the first half.
This changed in the second half.

"[Coach] was really mad at all of us because what we showed in the first and second [quarters,] it is not Magnolia basketball. It is like, we were playing individually. We were reminded [by the rant]," Jalalon told reporters in Filipino.

"We talked to each other that we needed to be aggressive. We needed to execute what the coaches were asking us to do. So, we are thankful for that reminder, and we saw the result."

Magnolia is the remaining undefeated team of the PBA Season 48 Commissioner's Cup with a 4-0 slate.

They will try to continue their streak when they face the NLEX Road Warriors on December 1.