With the core players of the Magnolia Chicken Timplados Hotshots aging out of their prime years, it was crucial that the team began looking toward the future. The Hotshots’ front office has been hesitant to break up their core of Paul Lee, Mark Barroca, Calvin Abueva, and Ian Sangalang, but they’ve gradually begun to infuse new blood into their roster.
Last June, Magnolia acquired the fifth overall pick of the 2023 PBA Draft, Zavier Lucero, from the farm team NorthPort Batang Pier. While it’s unclear why a rebuilding team like NorthPort would draft a high-upside player like Lucero, patiently wait for him to rehabilitate his torn ACL for six months, only to trade him three months after his debut, the move was a brilliant one for Magnolia.
Lucero addresses an immediate need for a Magnolia team that has sorely lacked frontcourt depth in recent years. The 6’6 forward is a high energy player who moves well off the ball on offense, can defend multiple positions on defense, and plays with a hard-nosed attitude.
Although his style of play is more perimeter-oriented vis a vis retired franchise legend Marc Pingris, Lucero could conceivably play a similar part for the Hotshots in the near future as a high-end role player that gives the team some much needed stability on a nightly basis.
The former UP Fighting Maroon has fit seamlessly with Magnolia during this 2024 PBA Governor’s Cup. He picked up right where he left off in his first conference with the Batang Pier during the 2024 Philippine Cup. Over the past five games, he has averaged 15.2 points, one three-pointer, 8.2 rebounds, one assist, and 1.6 blocks in just under 30 minutes per game.
Even more impressive, Lucero has ranked among the top two local scorers in each of those games despite not being a primary scoring option. His points typically come from drop passes or attacking closeouts, underscoring his off-ball movement and court awareness.
In Magnolia’s most recent win, a thrilling 99-98 victory against the Terrafirma Dyip, the 24-year-old forward led the team’s locals in scoring yet again as he had a conference-high 17 points on seven-of-nine shooting, five rebounds, and three blocks. Along with Aris Dionisio, Lucero also led the Hotshots in +/- during the game at +8, further highlighting his impact on the floor.
The win improved Magnolia’s record to 4-3 and this middling performance by the team in this conference is likely to accelerate the timeline of their looming roster revamp. Lucero’s rise has already made the 36-year-old Abueva expendable and it would not come as a surprise if he is the next one to go when they harvest players again from one of San Miguel’s farm teams make another savvy move to acquire younger talent.
Lucero has proven his worth as a cornerstone for this Hotshots franchise and with him onboard for what should be the next decade at the very least, this team should eventually reclaim its status as a perennial contender in the PBA sooner rather than later.
