San Miguel Beermen head coach Leo Austria turned 60 yesterday, March 14, but he received the best birthday present he could ever ask for a day after: a Game Four victory and a commanding 3-1 lead in the semifinals.
The defending All-Filipino champions have now moved a win away from the 2018 Philippine Cup Finals, with a 102-81 victory over the Barangay Ginebra San Miguel, Thursday night at the Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City.
“Maybe that’s the reason why we won this game, ano. It’s a won game for us ano. Siguro magandang regalo sa aking birthday,” beamed the Perpetual Coach of the Year.
“Sabi nila, kapag may birthday, na sa’yo ang swerte eh.”
The proud son of Quezon Province was made more proud by the determination he saw from his players, as it was on par with what he envisioned — and it had been absent back in Game Three the other night, where they lost, 87-95.
“But only one thing ang masasabi ko dito sa game na ito. Energy ang big factor,” he said.
“We’re able to negate whatever they want because of the energy.”
However, the 60-year-old bench strategist does not want to spend much time on Cloud Nine, even if the odds are seemingly in the Beermen’s favor, as he does not want history to repeat itself.
“3-1 is still manageable ‘yan para sa opponent. Dahil hindi ko makakalimutan, we’re leading 3-1 against Ginebra noong player pa ako ng Shell, and then we lost,” said Austria, recalling the 1991 First Conference Finals
“And same thing, from 0-3, nanalo kami 4-3,” he added, reflecting on their Beeracle run back in the 2016 Philippine Cup opposite the Alaska Aces.
“Kaya everything is possible, kaya hindi kami pwedeng mag-relax.”
But now that they have a great chance to return to the Big Dance for the fourth straight year, Austria is looking forward to grab such on Game Five on Saturday.
“Must-win for us, for us to get a good rest going to the Finals,” he said.
