The Magnolia Hotshots enjoyed the night, the celebration and the hoopla of a memorable occasion, and then buckled down to work, gifting LA Tenorio a triumphant first game as PBA head coach.

The Hotshots responded well under their new bench chieftain, pulling off a dominant 80-71 win over coach Tim Cone and the Barangay Ginebra Kings in the kickoff game of PBA Season 50 at the Smart Araneta Coliseum on Sunday, October 5.

“A good start for a new journey,” said Tenorio, deflecting all the credit to his players.

“It was really hard. Emotionally, I had to battle, and I really had to challenge my players that it’s not about me and coach Tim; it’s about the players of Magnolia and the players of Ginebra,” Tenorio pointed out.

“And I want to thank the players and the coaching staff, they wanted to guide me, knowing mahirap in this kind of atmosphere. The players were ready going to this game. I appreciated their effort and their focus,” he added.

Hotshots make strong opening statement

The Hotshots appeared to be much more prepared than the Gin Kings, starting the game with a 17-3 opening tear and holding on to beat a Ginebra squad coming off a strong season marked by runner-up finishes in both import-laden conferences and a semifinal run in the All-Filipino.

Young turks Zavier Lucero, Jerom Lastimosa and Javi Gomez de Liano carried much of the fight for Magnolia — a team out for redemption after a quarterfinal collapse against TNT in the last Philippine Cup.

Among the Season 49 Leo Awards achievers, Lucero showed why he earned spots on the Defensive Team and Mythical Second Team. The former UP Maroon delivered team-highs of 17 points, seven rebounds, four assists and four steals in 32 minutes, with Lastimosa and De Liano chipping in 14 points apiece.

“It feels like we’re a new team with coach LA. By no means it’s a championship but it’s a good thing to start the season,” said Lucero.

Ginebra falls short as Holt leads losing effort

Stephen Holt led Ginebra with 16 points and 17 rebounds, while Gray and Rosario added 13 and 12, respectively.

The Hotshots’ balance and early energy made the difference, giving Tenorio his first win on the sidelines in what promises to be a compelling season for Magnolia.

The scores:
Magnolia 80 – Lucero 17, Lastimosa 14, Gomez de Liano 14, dela Rosa 12, Sangalang 9, Barroca 7, Laput 5, Dionisio 2, Lee 0, Verano 0, Alfaro 0, Escoto 0.
Ginebra 73 – Holt 16, Gray 13, Rosario 12, Abarrientos 11, Estil 9, J.Aguilar 5, Cu 3, Torres 2, David 2, Thompson 0.

Quarterscores: 23-14, 36-30, 61-48, 80-73