LUCERO EMERGES AS KEY FIGURE FOR VETERAN-LADEN MAGNOLIA SQUAD
MANILA, Philippines — Sophomore big man Zavier Lucero is slowly but surely playing a bigger leadership role for the veteran-laden Magnolia squad in the ongoing PBA Season 49 Philippine Cup.
The athletic big man who can shoot from long range, averaged a team-leading 21 points, 6.42 rebounds, 1.6 assists and 1.3 blocks, while shooting 54.5 percent from the field in Magnolia's 3-0 start.
And while it's true that veteran guards Mark Barroca and Paul Lee remain the leaders of the Hotshots, there's no doubt that leadership transition to Lucero is becoming more and more evident.
The 6-foot-6 Lucero though mentioned that he's just grateful for the opportunity he is given, just less than a year after being traded to Magnolia in exchange for Jio Jalalon and Abu Tratter.
"I'm just grateful for the opportunity, grateful for that I've been blessed and be able to contribute," said Lucero, who fired 24 point, grabbed seven rebounds and had two blocks in Magnolia's pulsating 98-95 win against Philippine Cup powerhouse San Miguel Beer on Holy Wednesday last week.
But being a team player, the fifth overall pick of NorthPort in the Season 48 PBA Rookie Draft, said what's important for him is making sure he gets to help the Hotshots secure the win, regardless of whether he scores tons of points or not "But me scoring or whatever, as long as we can come out with a W, that's the most important part because it's a team sport. It's never just one (player), and hopefully I can continue (contributing)," he added.
Lucero is sure eager to lead the Hotshots deeper in the playoffs in the Philippine Cup, a conference where the team is known for being a perennial title contender.
"We want to prepare the right way, and we like our chances against any team," shared Lucero, a product of the University of the Philippines Fighting Maroons. "As long as we play this way and gut it out, we're alright." Magnolia, just like San Miguel, is on a redemption tour this conference after taking a swift opening round in the playoffs in the recent Commissioner's Cup, won by TNT.
The Hotshots are hungry for a league championship since they last won in the 2018 Governors' Cup.
Magnolia also has yet to win a Philippine Cup crown since the 2014 season, back when Tim Cone guided the franchise to a rare PBA grand slam behind superstars James Yap, Marc Pingris, Peter June Simon and a budding guard in Mark Barroca.
The franchise known originally as Purefoods, reached the All-Filipino conference Finals thrice during the 2018, 2019 and 2021, but fell short of a championship each time.
2025-04-21T06:35:19Z