Don’t even bother throwing any ‘asa sa import’ jab at Chot Reyes and TNT.
No one from the Tropang 5G is giving much thought to the tag made up by some online fans and critics. Not now that they’re trying for a rare Grand Slam in the fast-approaching PBA Season 49 Philippine Cup Finals.
In fact, the straightforward mentor only offered a brief response when asked if winning the Perpetual trophy would serve as a validation that they can succeed without a reinforcement during Friday’s pre-Finals presser in Pasig.
“I think I’m tied with Coach Leo for the most number of All-Filipino championships among active coaches, right? Pareho kaming six among the active coaches,” Reyes said matter-of-factly.
“That answers your question.”
Naysayers online have been talking smack against TNT, saying that the team can only win championships with the aid of an import — that, after netting their recent titles with Rondae Hollis-Jefferson leading the way.
The former NBA cager has, without a doubt, been the major driving force behind their golden runs. He had a big impact in the first two conferences of this season, thus putting the franchise in a position to win a rare triple crown.
But apparently, the detractors have forgotten about 2021.
In his first conference back in the PBA after nearly a decade, Reyes immediately wielded his magic and steered the flagship MVP Group franchise to Philippine Cup glory following a gentleman’s sweep of Magnolia in the Finals.
That gave him his sixth All-Filipino crown, and he now finds himself in a tiebreaker against a fellow coaching great in Leo Austria. They both have six, with the latter winning his first five consecutively from 2015 to 2019.
And that alone is why the ex-Gilas coach hardly feels bothered.
(C) PBA Images
Reyes himself has had his fair share of criticism in the past, and he’s mastered managing as much. That kind of fortitude he’s built is what he’s leaning on, too, to ensure that all of TNT would stay the course in the Finals.
Because much of the talk surrounding the Tropang 5G is about the Grand Slam, which has been won only four times in league history — Crispa, San Miguel, Alaska, and the most recent in San Mig Coffee about 11 years ago.
The upcoming Finals will be a second shot at a ‘treble’ for the six-time Coach of the Year after his first attempt in 2011 got foiled by the Petron Blaze Boosters — the banner that the SMB franchise carried back then.
At that time, Arwind Santos and the team coached by Ato Agustin prevented TNT from achieving PBA immortality. They outlasted their corporate rivals in seven games in the Finals, with the decider ending in an 85-73 decision.
But then again, none of that is on Reyes’ mind — even the Grand Slam.
“[The year] 2011 is really ancient history for me, it’s not even in my consciousness,” the 60-year-old bench strategist said. “This tournament, this Finals, it’s going to be nice to win on its own merits, not because of any past experience.
“It would be a great honor, obviously, but is it going to erase the ugliness of the past? I don’t think so, because it already happened,” he added.
“It’s part of history. But I have long gotten over it, and there is absolutely no rancor.”
