Magnolia’s Mark Barroca in action against Rain or Shine’s Rence Nocum in the PBA Season 49 Commissioner’s Cup. Photo from PBA Images.MANILA — The Magnolia Hotshots have struggled to put up wins on the board five games into their PBA Season 49 Commissioner’s Cup campaign.
In their appearances so far, the Chito Victolero-coached squad has suffered four straight losses after opening the present conference with a win, and veteran guard Mark Barroca admitted that frustration has been creeping up on them.
“Struggling talaga kami,” said the Far Eastern University product after they came up short anew on Wednesday against the Rain or Shine ElastoPainter at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium, 102-100.
“Sabi ko nga, parang ang average na talo namin 2.5 points per game yung margin,” pointed out Barroca. “So masakit, sobrang sakit.”
READ: Rain or Shine averts meltdown, spoils Magnolia’s comeback for 3rd win
The margin of their losses so far is 2.75, as they were defeated by the Converge FiberXers by two, the NorthPort Batang Pier by four, TNT Tropang GIGA by three, and ROS by two.
So frustrated was Barroca that he even got into a spat with E-Painters guard Rence Nocum late in the game during a jump ball situation, but he downplayed the incident after the contest.
“Tough player ako, pero ayoko yung mga ganung parang binu-bully ako lalo na mas bata siya sa akin,” Barroca explained. “Tinamaan lang niya ako sa may hita, pero okay na yun, intense yung game eh.”
“Wala na yun, tapos na yun. Kassama yun sa game, move forward na lang,” he said. “Gigil kami manalo, so ganun.”
Moving back to their shortcomings in the Commissioners' Cup, the former Gilas Pilipinas guard lamented how things could have been better if some breaks of the game had gone their way.
“Laging one stop away, one rebound away, one basket lang lagi,’ he stressed.
That is why as early as now, the ice-cold Hotshots should already treat their remaining assignments as playoff games if they still want to turn their fortunes around.
“Struggle talaga eh, so parang playoffs na kami. Backs against the wall na agad,” he said. “Ang aga pa ng conference, pero sense of urgency na talaga yung kailangan namin.”
Up next for Magnolia are the NLEX Road Warriors whom they will be facing on Friday, December 20, at the PhilSports Arena in Pasig City.
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