The Magnolia Chicken Timplados Hotshots will look to bounce back after seeing their six-game win streak to start the conference end last weekend. Meanwhile, the NorthPort Batang Pier will take aim at pulling off a stunning upset against the league-leading Hotshots.
Catch this game live on Saturday, May 24. 2025 at 730 pm, Manila time.
Magnolia Chicken Timplados Hotshots (6-1)
Projected Starting Five:
- Paul Lee
- Mark Barroca
- Jerom Lastimosa
- Zavier Lucero
- Ian Sangalang
The dream for an immaculate season came to an end for the Hotshots last Sunday, as they fell prey to the Rain or Shine Elasto Painters, 119-105. That was only the first loss of Magnolia in the conference, so there’s no reason for the Hotshots to panic. And even in that loss, Magnolia was able to show its offensive capabilities. The Hotshots have scored at least 105 points in five of their first seven games in their current campaign.
That trend could continue for the Hotshots this Saturday against the struggling Batang Pier, whose defense isn’t holding up nicely in this conference. NorthPort has given up an average of 116 points over its last five games.
In the loss to the Elasto Painters, Magnolia got 17 points from Zav Lucero and 15 points each from the veteran pair of Mark Barroca and Ian Sangalang.
NorthPort Batang Pier (1-5)
Projected Starting Five:
- Evan Nelle
- James Kwekuteye
- William Navarro
- Cade Flores
- Joshua Munzon
It has been a sorry conference thus far for NorthPort. After going 9-3 in the 2024-25 Commissioner’s Cup and reaching the semifinal round, the Batang Pier are now languishing near the bottom of the standings in the 2025 Philippine Cup. Only the Terrafirma Dyip have a worse record than NorthPort at the time of this writing.
The absence of Arvin Tolentino due to injury has greatly impacted NorthPort’s performance on the court, and it shows in the team’s record. But that’s not to say that the Batang Pier are bereft of quality talent. They still have dangerous offensive weapons in the likes of Joshua Munzon, William Navarro and Cade Flores. Munzon had 23 points in the loss to the Converge FiberXers on May 16, while Navarro and Flores had 20 and 14, respectively.
Then again, the Batang Pier will have to show that they can also get things done on the defensive side of the court if they are to end their five-game losing skid this Saturday.
Picks
Spread: Magnolia Chicken Timplados Hotshots (-12)
Over/Under: Over (203)
