Barangay Ginebra San Miguel head coach Tim Cone tipped his hat to lead assistant Richard Del Rosario for a job well done in the Gin Kings’ 110-95 victory over the Meralco Bolts on Sunday, their first win in the 2019 PBA Commissioner’s Cup.
Del Rosario was the one calling the shots for the crowd darlings in the second half. The decorated bench strategist gave his wards the silent treatment following a terrible first half, when they went down by 15.
“I shouldn’t be the one talking to you guys. Richard and the staff did most of the talking and most of the coaching in the second half,” said Cone. “They did more coaching than I did in the second half, so I’m really proud of them.
“They deserve all the credit.”
Still, Cone felt sorry for Del Rosario, he’s usually the one who bears the brunt of his frustrations since Del Rosario is his lead deputy. Cone has been known to give his players cold treatment whenever they play bad, and his staff does his work.
“I’ve done that, as Richard knows… Poor Richard, I’ve done that to him a number of times,” he said. “It doesn’t always work. I’ve done that to him when we’re down twenty-five points and say, ‘Hey, you coach. I don’t wanna coach anymore’.
“Poor guy.
“But the whole staff participated, the whole team participated,” Cone added with a smile.
Del Rosario, however, deflected the credit to Cone and the players, saying that he simply carried on the message from the Grand Slam coach during the halftime break. He asserted that speech simply changed the players’ attitude.
“No. Si Coach Tim made a speech at halftime. It really affected the players. Nagkaroon ng change of attitude in the second half. We were more aggressive,” said Del Rosario, who’s been with Cone since their San Mig Coffee days.
“Siyempre he got a little bit frustrated in the first half, and he allowed me to continue the message na sinabi niya nung halftime,” he added.
“He gave me the credit. Ganyan naman talaga yan, he gives me the credit ‘pag ganyan. But it’s really the players effort that was the difference here… It was really just the players changing their attitude and being more aggressive.”
After the years he has worked with Cone, Del Rosario remains ready for when his number is called up again.
