Pop Cola coach Chot Reyes refused to take credit for the 800s' thrilling 77-75 win over Mobiline in the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) All-Filipino Cup at the Big Dome last Sunday.
"The players won it, not me," said Reyes, "Jojo (Lastimosa) got the ball because my first two options didn't work. I guess that's what makes Jojo so valuable. He was our emergency option."
Lastimosa buried a triple at the buzzer to lift Pop Cola to its fourth straight win, the team's longest streak in five years.
Reyes said the first option was Ali Peek setting a pick for Nelson Asaytono to drive in or pop a jumper from the wing. But that didn't work because Mobiline's defense anticipated it. The next option was for Peek to seal Taulava in the post and get the pass inside from Asaytono. That, too, didn't work because Taulava clogged the passing lane.
As Asaytono thought of what to do, Bong Ravena left Lastimosa at the top of the key to double. That was Asaytono's cue to pass off to Lastimosa who quietly slid to the strong side. Ravena instinctively rotated back to the top of the key to cover Lastimosa but alas, the veteran had moved away. Lastimosa had a clear shot.
Reyes could hardly see what happened because bodies covered the action from where he was crouched on the floor. He barely saw Lastimosa's shot enter the hoop.
"That's what you call a player's instinct," he said. "Nelson couldn't get a shot off so he passed. That's something he and Noli (Locsin) are doing so well, passing when they're doubled. And Jojo was there for the clutch shot. He struggled for three quarters but you can always count on him down the stretch. That's why he's on the floor with the game on the line every time."
Reyes said not one player has brought Pop Cola back into title contention. It's been a total team effort although he said Lastimosa and Locsin pull their teammates up because their hearts rub off on the others.
Locsin has been Reyes' most pleasant surprise. In the beginning, Reyes said he didn't know how to play Locsin and admitted it in one-on-one, heart-to-heart talks. He initially thought of a Rey Evangelista role for Locsin -- just rebound and defend. But as things turned out, Reyes saw a lot more of Bong Hawkins in Locsin.
"I figured Noli can score like Bong and if he's a threat from the perimeter, he frees up Nelson and gives Ali opportunities inside," continued Reyes. "But Noli doesn't have to score to be effective. In the Tanduay game (Pop Cola won, 63-55), he took only six shots but played over 40 minutes."
Reyes said he has reached out to Asaytono who is responding big time. "We give Nelson importance but there are no special favors," he noted. "He's not a prima donna at practice. In fact, we drive him hard and make him do repetitions if he can't get the drills right. He's a changed person. All we've done is to communicate with him, talk to him. It's like counseling work."
In contrast to his previous PBA coaching stints, Reyes said he has mellowed. "I'm a lot more relaxed now," he said. "When I'm sitting on the bench, I see the game much better. In the past, when I stood up and got upset, I'd lose focus, I'd react too much to what was going on instead of thinking ahead. It's part of my new look, I guess -- something I learned from coach Tom Newell who's promoting a new model of coaching. We're moving away from the Pat Riley style and becoming more like Phil Jackson who's laid back. It's a style that's perfect for teaching kids how to play the game right."
Incidentally, Newell arrived here Sunday night and will conduct clinics for six weeks to inaugurate the Asian Basketball Academy-Philippines calendar this season. Former NBA referee Darrell Garretson will plane in May 10 to join the clinics.
Reyes said his staff allows him to be subdued and less emotional. His assistants Binky Favis, Biboy Ravanes, and brother Mike are now more vocal in the sidelines. "When Binky's up on his feet, it's a natural extension of what he does -- he's our chief scout, after all," said Reyes. "Biboy's in charge of player relations while Mike takes care of our videos. We've got a great working relationship."
And of course, Reyes gets solid support from team owner Joey Concepcion and manager Elmer Yanga.
Pop Cola plays Red Bull and Alaska before ending the eliminations. If the 800s win both games and Purefoods loses either to Barangay Ginebra or Tanduay or both, then Pop Cola makes it to the top 4 and gains a twice-to-beat advantage in the quarterfinals. One thing's for sure, Pop Cola is safely into the next round -- preserving Reyes' record of surviving every elimination round in his PBA coaching career.
Reyes' wardrobe is also part of his new look. He used to wear ties and sometimes, the same T-shirt as his assistants. Now, Reyes dresses in casual clothes different from the rest so he doesn't appear too stiff but maintains his identity as the man in charge.
It's a new look for Pop Cola, too. The 800s are winning again.