That’s arguably the biggest story of the season with the young, inexperienced Red Bull team making history, joining the elite PBA circle of champions in only its fifth conference in the league.
Roseller "Yeng" Guiao steered the Thunder to that stirring championship and the Pampanga native got his utmost reward last night when he was named the Coach of the Year in the PBA Press Corps Awards Night at the Bayview Hotel on Roxas Blvd.
Guiao won the perpetual Baby Dalupan Trophy over previous winner Jong Uichico of San Miguel and Norman Black of Sta. Lucia Realty.
"This is something special. It’s a big honor and I’ll treasure the award," said Guiao, whose Commissioner’s Cup triumph increased to three the total number of championships tucked under his belt.
Guiao became only the seventh to win the Coach of the Year award. He should have been a prime candidate for the same award in 1992 had the PBA Press Corps conceived its annual awards that year and not a year later.
Meanwhile, PBA executive director Renauld "Sonny" Barrios became the eighth holder of the Danny Floro Trophy. He was the unanimous choice of the sportswriters regularly covering the PBA beat for the Executive of the Year award.
Barrios was feted for ably holding the rein in the league as Commissioner Jun Bernardino took a leave because of a health problem.
Joining Guiao and Barrios in the victory podium were Ginebra prized rookie Mark Caguioa, Shell enforcer Chris Jackson and referee Ernie de Leon.
Caguioa, who won the Rookie of the Year award earlier, also emerged as Mr. Quality Minutes, while Jackson won the Best Defensive Player honors for the third time and De Leon the Referee of the Year plum for the fifth time. De Leon is likely to be enshrined in the Hall of Fame next year.
It was in 1992 that Guiao won his first PBA title, steering the Tony Harris-led Swift Mighty Meaty to a sweet sweep of Seven-Up for the Third Conference championship.