SMB, err, Magnolia is tough as ever

Gone: Francis Adriano, Brandon Cablay
Gain: Larry Fonacier, Samigue Eman, Jonas Villanueva
Mainstay: Danny Ildefonso, Enrico Villanueva, Dondon Hontiveros, Danny Seigle, Lordy Tugade, Willy Wilson, Gabby Espinas, LA Tenorio, Wesley Gonzales, Olsen Racela, Chris Calaguio, Dorian Pena.

Despite a new coach and minus two of its top guns, Magnolia Beverage (San Miguel) overachieved and surpassed the expectations of many following its amazing run all the way to the semifinals of the PBA Fiesta Cup last season.

Now having adjusted with the system of Siot Tanquingcen and Danny Seigle along with Dondon Hontiveros back on the team’s regular rotation, it’s frightening to know what more the Beverage Masters can do.

Tanquingcen, taking over the reins from Chot Reyes just last conference, said the Beverage Masters are a work in progress that he expects to keep getting better deep into the season-opening Philippine Cup beginning on Oct. 14.

“We’re still at the conditioning stage,” said Tanquingcen, the soft spoken former Santo Tomas stalwart credited as the main architect of Barangay Ginebra’s back-to-back title runs in 2004-05.

“But we see the potential of this team as we have strengthened our backcourt and wing spots.”

By that, the Magnolia mentor is referring to the off-season acquisitions initiated by the franchise that netted them 2005 Rookie of the Year Larry Fonacier from Red Bull and freshmen Samigue Eman and Jonas Villanueva in the recent PBA Draft.

The 6-foot-4 Fonacier was a big steal acquired via a trade with Red Bull that saw the Beverage Masters let go of guards Brandon Cablay and Francis Adriano. In Magnolia , he rejoins former Ateneo teammates Enrico Villanueva, Wesley Gonzales and LA Tenorio.

Villanueva, a crafty former Far Eastern University guard with a good perimeter shooting, was drafted 9 th overall by the team as a third option at the point guard spot behind veteran Olsen Racela and Tenorio.

“Jonas will definitely learn a lot from Olsen. He’s lucky that Olsen is still playing as he will have a chance to develop his skills under the guidance of one of the best point guards in the league,” Tanquingcen said.

The 25-year-old Eman was the second overall pick in this year’s draft and the Beverage Masters will be needing more of him inside the paint with veteran big man Dorian Pena out for most of the conference owing to an injury.

“I see a lot of potential in him,” said the Magnolia mentor of the 6-foot-10, wide-bodied ex-Mindanao State University star. “He’s a big guy with good moves.”

Tanquingcen expects their three new players to blend well with a core that will have a healthy Danny Ildefonso and Lordy Tugade, the ever improving Chris Calaguio and Gonzales, both of whom shown brightly in the last Fiesta Cup, and a more settled Villanueva.

Most welcome of course, for the team is the return of Seigle and Hontiveros, key players who were not around the entire last conference owing to their stint with the RP men’s basketball squad.

The Beverage Masters finished runner up to the Barangay Ginebra Kings in last year’s Philippine Cup, a stint that saw them bungled what appeared to be a commanding 2-0 lead in the best-of-seven title series.

But returning with an even more formidable cast this time, it wouldn’t be a big surprise if they end up completing their unfinished job a season ago.