Richard Dy 6y

Chito Victolero, Magnolia wary of shorthanded NorthPort

NorthPort Batang Pier may be shorthanded again this Saturday, but Magnolia coach Chito Victolero does not want his team to take anything for granted Saturday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

The Batang Pier will continue to be without Stanley Pringle, Jeric Teng, and Sean Anthony but the Pambansang Manok will take no chances in their 4:30 p.m. match.

"Our mindset coming into the game is that they (Batang Pier) are complete. We prepared in practice as if Stanley Pringle will play and Sean Anthony will play," Victolero told ESPN5.

Pringle and Magnolia combo guard Paul Lee are due to arrive on Saturday, just a day after helping the national team finish in fifth place in the 2018 Asian Games in Jakarta.

Anthony has been cleared to resume practice, but will still miss the game against Magnolia. The bruising NorthPort forward will more likely see action for the first time this conference next Wednesday against Barangay Ginebra.

"Hopefully Ginebra has that championship hangover when we play them," said Anthony, who averaged 18.5 points, 10 rebounds, 4.1 assists and 2.1 steals for the Batang Pier in the Commissioner's Cup.

Anthony missed the Batang Pier's first two games in the 2018 PBA Governors' Cup after sustaining a left calf injury during the conference break.

Anthony said he has concentrated on his strengthening and conditioning work and now looks forward to contributing.

"I've been going to rehab consistently, trying to get back and help the guys out, so hopefully, we can pull out the win (against Magnolia), and then if Stan (Pringle) can come back, will play against Ginebra next week," Anthony told ESPN5 on Friday.

Meanwhile, Magnolia opened the Governors' Cup by dominating NLEX, 102-74 last week.

Romeo Travis debuted as Magnolia's import with 21 points and 13 rebounds.

A former high school teammate of Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James, Travis is fresh from helping Le Mans to a French League Pro A championship last June where he was eventually named tournament MVP.

"Rome's contributions are not just seen on the number of points he scores, or rebounds and assists, because there are so many things he brings to the team that are not seen from the stats sheet," Victolero said.

NorthPort will get help from veteran playmaker Jeric Fortuna, who is coming out of retirement.

A former player for Jarencio at the University of Santo Tomas, Fortuna is expected to lend his experience for the Batang Pier, who lost the the first two games this conference by an average of 23.5 points.

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