THERE’S no other way but toward a grand slam for two-conference champion San Miguel Beer.
But the Beermen, in the words of Head Coach Leo Austria, must first share off the ghost of the 2017 season.
San Miguel Beer was on the verge of bagging its second grand slam in the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA)—after its successful run in 1989 under Norman Black—in 2017 when they were halted by sister team Barangay Ginebra San Miguel in the quarterfinals of the season-closing Governors’ Cup.
“We have another chance and I hope the team has learned its lesson,” Austria said on Tuesday’s party celebrating the Beermen’s conquest of the Commissioner’s Cup at the expense of the TNT Katropa at the SMC Headquarters at the Ortigas Center.
The Gin Kings went on to win the crown, 4-2.
Austria said that his wards’ biggest foe is complacency.
“When you win two championships, there’s a tendency to relax—and that’s exactly what happened in 2017,” said Austria, who was feted for his eighth PBA championship as a coach by no less than San Miguel Corp. top honcho Ramon S. Ang during the celebration.
Import Chris McCullough rose to the occasion for the Beermen when it mattered most and outmaneuvered his most illustrious counterpart, Terrence Jones of TNT who was named Best Import, to help deliver the team to a record 27th crown in the league.
But it was also the toughness of the local veterans of San Migiel Beer who stood out in the classic six-game series. Alex Cabagnot, Chris Ross and June Mar Fajardo were indefatigable with Christian Standhardinger playing like a bull on a mission and, of course, Terrence Romeo.
Romeo achieved his fervent goal—a championship—that has eluded him his entire career, even as a junior standout and a top Tamaraw for Far Eastern University.
The former KaTropa proved his mettle off the bench and because of his consistency in the entire series highlighted by clutch hits, Romeo hoisted the Finals MVP trophy.
Austria said the winning attitude has turned into a tradition for the Beermen.
“The players just don’t want to stop winning. They can still do it. They are able to compete the young guys and how important experience is in winning the championship,” Austria said.
The Beermen tapped National Basketball Association G-League player Dez Wells as reinforcement in the Governors’ Cup.
Besides San Miguel Beer, only two other teams in the PBA’s fabled history have completed a grand slam—Crispa Redmanizers in 1976 (Virgilio “Baby” Dalupan) and 1983 (Tommy Manotoc) and Alaska in 1996 (Tim Cone).
Image credits: Nonoy Lacza