Like a ghost they thought they'd buried, Magnolia's past came creeping back again - unseen but all too familiar. No matter how strong their start, the team always seem to find themselves haunted by the same collapse.
When Magnolia opened the Philippine Cup undefeated, the question surfaced again: Is this run fact or fiction?
At 6-0, Magnolia looked like a team finally steering the ship in the right direction. After disappointing quarterfinal exits in both the Governors' Cup and Commissioner's Cup, the start hinted at a potential course correction that could lift them back to legitimate contender status.
To Magnolia's credit, their hot start wasn't built on luck. They looked like a team playing to the strengths of their revamped roster.
Zavier Lucero's and Jerom Lastimosa's youth helped shift the team's pace and created more opportunities in transition -- breaking their long-time tendency to grind in the halfcourt. Veterans Mark Barroca, Ian Sangalang, and Paul Lee, appeared more at ease in redefined roles that didn't demand nightly heroics. During that unbeaten run, they averaged an impressive 108.2 points per game, a sharp contrast to the offense that often stalled in previous campaigns.
There was real belief that this version of Magnolia had finally turned a corner and showcased sustainable changes. That is until adversity hit in the seventh game of the conference.
Magnolia showed signs of vulnerability in their game against Rain or Shine. The run and gun pace challenged Magnolia's defense and it was ultimately overwhelmed . However, losses do come from time to time especially in the eliminations, where circumstances are different per team.
The task for Magnolia was for them to look at the film and regroup, since their record at the time was still the best in the league. Big adjustments were not necessary -- refinements on defense and better execution on offense in the next game could have been the answer. But in true Magnolia fashion in the Chito Victolero era, they made rotation tweaks after one loss that messed up the rhythm of their lineup.
In five of their first six games of the conference, Magnolia stuck with the starting five of Barroca, Alfaro, Dela Rosa, Escoto, and Sangalang. While inserting Escoto in that unit was weird because he would only play spot minutes essentially, for the time being, it was enough to get Lucero ready coming off their bench.
But in the game following their first loss, Magnolia paraded three new starters against NorthPort, with Lucero, Lastimosa, and Aris Dionisio. Even though it resulted in a victory, it definitely messed with the rotation that already clicked and they needed a strong fourth quarter to seal the win.
What happened next would be the biggest move made by Magnolia, as they decided to let go of veteran Calvin Abueva and Jerrick Balanza to get a high caliber forward in William Navarro. Now they have added more optionality and versatility, which can be big help moving forward if Magnolia intends to make a playoff push.
Growing pains were definitely on the horizon with this acquisition, especially with it coming where Magnolia was having a hard time figuring out their rotation and how to integrate Navarro in the system. Victolero then stuck with Lucero starting, which left their bench with low production that resulted in back-to-back losses against Ginebra and NLEX during a stretch that was crucial to position themselves in the top four and not waste a dream start to the conference.
Eventually, Magnolia began to recalibrate. They returned to the structure that powered their early run, this time with Navarro taking over Escoto's spot in the rotation and Lucero returning to his more effective bench role. It wasn't perfect, but it worked. The Hotshots snapped their losing skid with a clutch win over TNT to secure a twice-to-beat advantage entering the quarterfinals - a sign that they may have finally steadied the ship.
But that setup only heightened the stakes for the real test: A rematch with TNT in the playoffs.
The series proved to be a grind. Every game was a toss-up, with both teams trading punches and momentum hanging by a thread. Yet when the game slowed down and the tension rose in crunch time, it was TNT who remained composed.
For all the groundwork Magnolia laid during their 6-0 start, all it took was a few shaky possessions to unravel it. In back-to-back crucial games, their late-game execution crumbled. The sets after a timeout produced broken plays and indecision. They had no clear option, no fluid movement, and ultimately, no answer.
And that's where Magnolia's ghost truly returned - not in any specific matchup, but in their inability to handle pressure without spiraling. For all the foundation they built in this conference, the old habits resurfaced the moment adversity struck.
Victolero's tendency to tinker too much, to panic at the first sign of trouble, continues to hurt this team. There's a difference between adjusting and second-guessing, and too often, Magnolia leans toward the latter.
If there's one lesson they must finally learn, it's to trust what they've built. San Miguel knows its identity through June Mar Fajardo. TNT thrives with the stability of RR Pogoy and Calvin Oftana as foundational pieces. Ginebra leans on a tried-and-tested core under Tim Cone.
Magnolia has talent, youth, and veteran leadership - but none of it will matter if they can't commit early, stay composed, and ride through the inevitable storms. Until then, no matter how good their start, the ghosts of the past will always find their way back.