Head coach LA Tenorio could potentially see action for Magnolia in the final playdate of the eliminations of the PBA Season 50 Philippine Cup.
LA Tenorio and the Magnolia Hotshots head into a reshuffled finale as they take on the TNT Tropang 5G in the final playdate of the PBA Season 50 Philippine Cup eliminations on Sunday, Dec. 21.
Tip off is set at 5:15 p.m. at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
Magnolia activated player-head coach LA Tenorio, who is listed on the roster this conference, following the injuries to guards Jerom Lastimosa (ankle) and Paul Lee (hamstring) in Bahrain.
Lee has since been placed on the injured list, leaving the Hotshots shorthanded heading into a crucial closing assignment.
Magnolia enters the matchup at 6–4, with its final seeding locked somewhere between fifth and sixth, regardless of the outcome.
[WATCH: PBA LIVESTREAM: TNT Tropang 5G vs Magnolia Hotshots | Philippine Cup]
Still, the Hotshots will look to regain momentum after a 92–101 loss to Rain or Shine in Bahrain, where they were dealt an early blow after losing both Lastimosa and Lee in the first half.
In that defeat, Mark Barroca steadied the ship with 14 points, four rebounds, and five assists, while Peter Alfaro scored 13. Javi Gomez de Liaño flirted with a double-double with 12 points and eight rebounds, and Ian Sangalang and
Rome dela Rosa added 10 each.
With limited backcourt options and Tenorio potentially seeing action, Magnolia will aim to close the eliminations with grit and cohesion before turning their attention to the playoffs.
(With reports from Jan Ballesteros)
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[Editor’s note: This article was written by a member of One Sports Digital with the help of AI and reviewed by editorial staff for accuracy.]