Jio Jalalon finished with five steals in Magnolia’s win over Converge in their PBA Season 48 Philippine Cup opener.
It’s no secret Magnolia guard Jio Jalalon has always put premium on locking up his foes everytime he steps on the court. Scoring is, well, just a bonus.
Asked where that defensive intensity comes from, Jalalon said it all starts in practice, against an equally defensive-minded teammate.
He was referring to teammate Mark Barroca.
The two are so competitive defensively behind the scenes, it spills over to the actual games, particularly in the Hotshots’ 106-75 win over Converge for a sizzling PBA Season 48 Philippine Cup opener last Saturday, March 16.
Apart from making big plays on the offensive end, Jalalon and Barroca also ended up with identical five steals in the dub at the historic Rizal Memorial Coliseum.
“Sa practice kaming dalawa competitive,” said Jalalon, who also had 14 points, three rebounds, and seven assists.
“Pagdating namin sa game normal na lang sa’min yung gingawa namin sa defense kasi 'yun strength naming dalawa.”
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That obviously rubs off on the rest of the team.
Aside from the “Introvoys” tag, Magnlia has always taken pride in defense. In fact, the Hotshots were the best defensive team in the Commissioner’s Cup.
And they plan to continue being just that in the All-Filipino Conference.
“It’s a good start for us. As long as we start strong at least we have a good chance,” said coach Chito Victolero.