Game Friday (Mall of Asia Arena)
8 p.m. – Petron Blaze vs San Mig Coffee
MANILA, Philippines - San Mig coach Tim Cone and Petron mentor Gee Abanila seek a place in history as sister teams the Mixers and the Boosters square off in the PBA Governors Cup Finals beginning Friday at the Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City.
It’s a fitting finale between two powerhouse squads that have dominated the elimination round of the season-ending tourney.
On the sidelines, Cone and Abanilla will engage in a battle of wits between an old master and a young tactician.
Cone, 55, is taking a second crack at matching coach Baby Dalupan’s all-time best record of 15 championships while Abanilla is on line to be only the seventh coach to win a PBA crown in his first conference in the league.
Cone has earned 14 championships with Alaska Milk and one with San Mig Coffee right in his first year with the team in 2011.
On the other side is the youthful Petron mentor who has proven to be a big revelation when entrusted a talent-laden team that could not seem to play to its full potential in the last two years.
Abanilla and the Boosters worked out well together, dominating the elims with an 8-1 win-loss mark then getting past Barangay Ginebra in the quarterfinals then Rain or Shine in the semis to set a finals showdown with Cone and the Mixers.
With all their talent and management support, the Boosters had failed to live up to expectations in the last five conferences under coaches Ato Agustin, Rajko Toroman and Olsen Racela.
If they go all the way, Abanilla would join Ciso Bernardo (Crispa, 1984), Arlene Rodriguez (Shell, 1990), Chot Reyes (Coney Island, 1993), Eric Altamirano (Purefoods, 1997), Ryan Gregorio (Purefoods, 2002) and Joel Banal (Talk n Text, 2003) in an elite list of coaches who have won the crown in their coaching debut in the league.
“I’m not really thinking about that. We are just grateful with the situation we are in right now,†said Abanilla, a former La Salle Archer who honed his coaching skills as assistant to Yeng Guiao at Red Bull.
“We started out with modest goals, but definitely we are now going to compete and try to get what every team wants – a championship,†Abanilla also said.
Cone also said he’d rather focus on the task at hand.
“I really don’t think about that (tying Dalupan’s championship record) at all. Honestly, it’s there. I already tried once but I didn’t make it with (import) Marqus (Blakely),†said Cone, referring to their loss to the Elasto Painters in the Governors Cup Finals last year.
“You just keep playing games day by day, and whatever happens happen. I guess that’s how I’ve approached all our championships. Just don’t look beyond what’s in front of you, so that’s the best way to approach it,†Cone also said.
“Just being mentioned along with Baby (Dalupan) is already a real thrill for me. But again, it’s not something I focus on. Most of all, I just want to win a championship with the players. They worked hard and we reached the Finals. That’s what I want to do,†he added.