A Tale of Two Coaching Geniuses

Photo: During the Finals Press Conference (INQUIRER)

The ongoing Finals series between B-Meg Derby Ace Llamados and Talk and Text Tropang Texters is not just about Denzel Bowles, Donell Harvey or even the locals like Jimmy Alapag, Peter June Simon, Marc Pingris or James Yap, It is also about their coaches: Tim Cone and Chot Reyes, who both come from a winning tradition and are poised to be champions.

Tim is no stranger to championship runs - He has been a Grandslam coach (Alaska in 1996) and has successfully catapulted his team then (Aces) for 13 championships ever since he started coaching in the country back in 1989. Now with B-Meg, he hopes to add more championships to his name, He has successfully imparted his basketball knowledge to his new boys, with the help of his former Alaska wards turned Assistant Coaches Jeffrey Cariaso and Johnny Abarrientos, but it would still be better if they win the championship -  far cry from where they were last conference, eliminated by Powerade Tigers during the first round of the Philippine Cup, which the Llamados has considered their inspiration to grow as a team.

Chot meanwhile is one of the greatest coaches in present PBA history. He has been to the finals for the past 5 conferences and has won 4 championships (they lost in the 2011 Governors Cup to the injury depleted Petron Blaze). He has a lot of wards that bring true to his coaching masterpiece, He has employed a discipline that even if Donell Harvey would have an off-night, his locals would step up and bring their import's performance on a higher level. Now on his second to the last conference as Tropa's Head Coach, his players would like to give their best and give Chot a championship or even two before their coach goes to the Smart Gilas 2 squad.

Whatever would happen, these two coaches are the epitomy of basketball IQ, and I salute them both, it's now a matter of will and desire to win 4 games, as par as coaching is concerned, both teams are absolute equal.

Posted in: B-Meg Derby Ace Llamados,Commissioner's Cup,Finals PBA,PBA,Talk and Text Tropang Texters