8th in row is Mikee's goal

MANILA, Philippines - What the famed Boston Celtics have achieved in the NBA, this Mikee Romero franchise wants to accomplish in the PBL.

“We will go for our eighth straight championship and equal the feat of those Celtics,” Romero said yesterday after finally laying his hands on the shiny PBL PG Flex Unity Cup trophy which his team, Oracle, won last week with a Game 5 victory over Pharex.

Romero, the current PBL chairman, was not around during the entire series, being away with his family in the United States. He flew home past midnight Tuesday but graced the PSA Forum at Shakey’s on UN Avenue.

Oracle coach Glenn Capacio, team manager Erick Arejola and Finals MVP Chris Timberlake with teammates Rico Maierhofer and Benedict Fernandez joined him at the weekly forum and handed the team owner the fresh championship.

No team has ever won seven straight titles in the PBL or even the PBA. And Romero’s team, which won its first six championships under the banner of Harbour Centre, is not going to rest on its laurel in shooting for an eighth straight crown.

“Winning eight straight titles has never been done here and we are just one title away. I’d like to compare our team and that Boston Celtics when it comes to pride. It’s like when you put on that jersey, all you want to do is win. That’s pride,” he said.

The only difference, Romero said, is that Boston did it with a solid crew as compared to his PBL franchise which had to deal with player movement as each season passed. This one is no different, as a number of players, including Timberlake, is on the way out.

“Five or six players are moving out to join the PBA, and they include these three,” he said. “But we will rebuild. We’ve always been that way. We will rebuild then we will go for that eighth straight championship.”

“The secret of our success is never wanting to lose. What I impart to my players everytime they play is mental toughness. It’s an attitude of not wanting to lose, and it keeps us alive, it is our refusal to lose concept,” said Romero.

It was the first time Capacio, one of the great defenders that ever played in the PBA, coached a Romero franchise, and he said it was not easy taking over from George Gallent who won the first six titles for Harbour Centre.

“It took me two weeks to decide on the offer of Mr. Romero. I didn’t think I could handle the pressure. But I said yes and took it as a challenge. So, I faced it,” said Capacio, who thanked his players for believing in his system that worked around “a better ball movement.”