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Magnolia embracing underdog status
By Jonas Terrado (February 2, 2009)

After a grueling semifinals series, Magnolia Purewater head coach Koy Banal and his team is embracing the underdog status when the 2009 PBL PG Flex Linoleum Cup finals begins tomorrow.

The multi-titled head coach, who hasn't won a PBL crown since 2006, believes that it will be their hearts that will carry them in their forthcoming duel with the six-peat seeking Harbour Centre in a best-of-five title affair.

"Siguro big heart. Big heart," Banal said, shortly after the Wizards rallied to oust Bacchus Energy Drink, 88-83, in the knockout semis tussle last Saturday.

It that match, they overcame a 12-point third quarter margin and a six-point deficit in the fourth quarter thanks to a telling 12-0 run before shutting down the young Bacchus squad in the homestretch to escape with the victory.

Although Magnolia survived a gutwrenching series with the upstart Energy Warriors, Banal isn't making fatigue an excuse when they go against the well-rested Batang Pier, which swept Hapee in the other semis duel last week.

"I like our situation," Banal said. "Yes, we went to our limits, we went to Game 5 medyo may fatigue factor pa pero hindi mo na iintindihin yan dahil sa sobrang hirap ng dinaanan mo, binugbog mo, binuhos mo lahat dun sa semis, I dont think magpapabaya yung mga players and I hope we will regain our strength and our usual self," he added.

It will be the fourth finals appearance of the San Miguel franchise since returning to the league in 2003. Their last trip came in the 2006 Heroes Cup when they won the crown past Rain or Shine after being down 0-2 in the series.

At that time, Banal guided a squad led by future pros Kelly Williams, Arwind Santos, Jeff Chan, RJ Rizada and Mark Isip, among others. This time, he will have a new core bannered by ex-pro Neil Raneses, Dylan Ababou, Al Magpayo, JP Alcaraz and Eder Saldua.

"I'm elated at high pa rin ako (on making the finals again). I'm glad that this franchise is back in the finals and hopefully we can give Harbour a good fight in this series," said Banal, whose squad lost both times to the Batang Pier when they met in the semifinals of both conferences last season.

Although his team is quite different from his previous teams, some of his players have been on championship teams. Raneses played for Magnolia, then-known as Viva Mineral Water, when they bagged the 2004 Unity Cup while Magpayo won a title with Montana Pawnshop in the 2005 Open Championship.

On the other hand, Ababou won two championships with the Batang Pier last season but he was beneath the shadows of stars Jason Castro, Solomon Mercado, TY Tang and Chan. This time, the University of Santo Tomas standout will have an opportunity to beat his former team in a more celebrated role.

Banal is out to make plans in hopes of upsetting their heavily-favored opponents despite getting swept by Harbour during the elimination round. They suffered a nail-biting 76-75 defeat in the first round last November 18 before dropping a 94-76 rout last December 9.

"Somehow we just have try to outbalance a thing and two and give them a new look," he said. "Our gameplan is to make it close, bahala na down the stretch who will execute."

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