Friday night was further proof that Tim Cone is in a league of his own.
The PBA’s winningest coach added yet another feather to his cap, becoming the only mentor to notch 1,000 wins after Barangay Ginebra clobbered the struggling Blackwater by way of a 98-94 result in the Commissioner’s Cup.
No other shot-caller in league history as achieved such a feat. To put the matter into perspective, only two franchises, namely the Kings and San Miguel, have at least a thousand wins, according to stats chief Fidel Mangonon III.
“It’s a real honor to be able to say I did that. But, it just goes to show how old I’m getting,” Cone quipped moments after the win at the SMART Araneta Coliseum, which also extended their winning streak to four in the conference.
Turning serious, the PBA’s only 24-time champion bench tactician offered that it is a kind of record achieved mainly through longevity, and he’s immensely grateful to have been blessed to stay in the league this long.
Cone has been coaching in the league since 1989.
“Been around a long time,” said the two-time Grand Slam winner.
“You have to be around a long time to get that kind of record. It’s a longevity record, really. And if you don’t win a few championships along the way, you probably don’t get a chance to last that long. It’s a great honor.”
As glad as he is, the 1,001st win would be sweeter for Cone, which he can chalk up this Sunday night when they take on Chot Reyes and a win-hungry TNT Tropang Giga in a clash of heavyweights also at the Big Dome.
“But we’re hoping for 1,001 on Sunday against Talk N Text, that’s for sure,” said the four-time Coach of the Year.
“We got a big one coming up. We’ll enjoy this for a few moments but we’ll move on.”
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