Leo Austria and San Miguel remain unfazed by soaring expectations as they look to halt TNT’s bid for PBA immortality in the Philippine Cup Finals.
As has been the narrative since ruling the Commissioner’s Cup, the Tropang 5G are gunning for a Grand Slam but will have to overcome one of only four franchises to achieve the feat if they want to make that reality.
None of the present-day Beermen are thinking about that, though, as they have their sights locked on one thing only: gold.
“We’re not here to stop their bid for a Grand Slam. We’re here to win games and eventually, the championship,” the decorated mentor said during the pre-Finals presser at the Chardonnay Events Center by Astoria in Pasig, Friday.
All that matters for SMB is completing a redemption story predicated on past heartbreaks, from losing the Philippine Cup crown to Meralco in last season’s All-Filipino finale to missing the recent Commissioner’s Cup playoffs.
“We’re here to redeem ourselves because it’s hard to be at the bottom,” said Austria as they finished 10th among 13 teams during the midseason tilt.
Regaining the throne as king of the all-Filipino wars is their main objective entering the best-of-7 affair that starts Sunday at the SMART Araneta Coliseum, since that loss to the Bolts stung much more than it seemed.
In bowing to Chris Newsome and Meralco, San Miguel witnessed its hopes of winning the coveted trophy for the sixth time since 2015 get crushed.
Had things turned out differently, the Beermen could’ve won their second Perpetual trophy and become the only team to have two of it.
For starters, Philippine Cup winners will maintain possession of the hardware — also known as the Jun Bernardino Trophy and made by glass sculptor Ramon Orlina — for a year, with a smaller replica to be given afterwards.
A team that accomplishes a ‘three-peat’ in the PBA’s most prestigious conference will keep the trophy, which features a 24-karat gold plate.
SMB already has one, which they won in 2017, in the midst of their historic ‘five-peat’ that ran from 2015 to 2019 thanks to its ‘Death Five’ lineup.
The team that got the original Perpetual trophy, in case you’re wondering, was TNT, when it reigned supreme in the Philippine Cup from 2009 to 2011.
Now, it won’t just be about regaining the conference title they last won in 2021 in the Bacolor bubble, as winning the title would complete the Grand Slam.
But Coach Chot Reyes has insisted that no one in the Tropang 5G is thinking of the treble. And the same goes for their opponents.
“We’ll be honored if that happens,” said Austria, who got close to a triple crown twice.
“I think there are a lot of people who think that we’re out there to stop the Grand Slam because of history. But as coaches, we just want to win.”
Team governor Robert Non echoed as much, adding that the championship is their one true goal, not just for themselves but for others, too.
“That’s for the company, the families of players, at sa aming mga ball boys. Siyempre umaasa ‘yan sa bonus,” the long-time exec said.
“Championship is not really a motivation to beat them and stop them from getting the triple crown. Basta ang iniisip ng team, manalo.”
