Mr. Excitement believes Ginebra is ripe for PBA title under Cone

MANILA, Philippines -- PBA legend Bong Alvarez made a surprise appearance on Wednesday to watch the Barangay Ginebra-San Miguel Beer preseason game at the CCF gym in Ortigas, Pasig.

The six-foot Alvarez, now 47, looked trim in his dark blue polo, which he said is a product of regular jogging to keep himself in shape.

Dubbed “Mr. Excitement” during his heydays because of his ability to glide in the air and high-wire acts, Alvarez shared his thoughts on the PBA today, but never about his well-publicized off-court problems that included the use of banned drug substance in 2012.

“(Nagba-) basketball pa rin with PBA legends so kapag may laro, naglalaro lang ako sa out-of-town, paminsan minsan. Hindi din naman regular,” Alvarez told Philstar.com, who was invited by Japeth Aguilar’s father, Peter to watch the tuneup match.

Alvarez, who led San Sebastian to back-to-back NCAA championships during the 1980s, said he has managed to follow the PBA games even after his last stint with Red Bull in 2005.

Though admittedly, today’s generation of PBA players are bigger and stronger, the former PBA superstar believes Barangay Ginebra is capable of winning a league championship this season because of the presence of multi-titled coach Tim Cone.

Alvarez recalled that he and the American coach started together with Alaska in 1989 in a partnership that produced a PBA championship in 1990.

“Magkasama kami ni coach Tim. Rookie kami pareho sa Alaska,” he recalled.

Back then, Alvarez entered the pro league as the third overall pick in 1989, the same year Cone began his coaching sojourn.

“Magaling maman talaga kasi si Tim. Para sa akin, siya talaga ang pinakamagaling na coach kaya tingin ko nga, itong Ginebra magcha-champion,” said Alvarez, who scored a mind-boggling 71 points in 1990.

The two-time PBA Comeback Player of the Year awardee noted that Cone’s ability to harness the players’ talents, along with his good interpersonal skills have served him well en route to winning a record 18 titles in 26 years.

“Kasi iba kapag si coach Tim ang humawak ng team. Tapos on and off the court, sobrang bait saka ang galing niya mag-motivate ng player,” he added.

“Bawat isang player kabisado niya ang ugali saka ang galing niya makisama.”