The Magnolia Hotshots had a season that many small-market and conduit teams would envy. They were just two games away from facing the San Miguel Beermen in the Philippine Cup Finals and a win away from facing the Bay Area Dragons in the Commissioner's Cup Finals. Overall, the Hotshots finished with a solid 31-18 record, with Paul Lee, Ian Sangalang, Calvin Abueva, Mark Barroca, and Jio Jalalon all averaging double-digit scoring.
Jalalon, in particular, had a breakout season, averaging double figures for the first time in his PBA career. Alongside Barroca, the former Arellano Chief and Gilas Pilipinas standout played in all 49 games this season, showing his durability and consistency.
However, this was the first time since the 2017-18 PBA season that the Hotshots failed to reach the finals in a three-conference season, which could be seen as a disappointment for the title-hungry team. While Nikola Radocevic performed well in the Commissioner's Cup, the team faced import problems in the Governors' Cup, and Sangalang's absence due to injury was felt. On the bright side, Aris Dionisio emerged as a reliable option in the import-laden conferences, showcasing his skills as a former MPBL star.
Although the Hotshots have a formidable starting five, they acknowledge the need to fortify their bench, potentially with a scoring machine similar to Peter June Simon (if Jalalon is off the bench, then they need another strong presence). The upcoming draft could offer options for the team to address this issue.
Despite the disappointment of falling short of their title aspirations, I expect the Magnolia Hotshots to bounce back from this season. While other small-market and conduit teams may see their campaign as a win, the Hotshots have higher expectations and are hungry for a championship.
These are not official stats.
I got the stats from REAL GM. I also got my information from the PBA website, Wikipedia, and other sports sites.