By Sunday, Uichico and the Beermen will be back on centerstage, pitted against either the Gin Kings or the Turbochargers, as they try to make yet another history, seeking to become the first team to get hold of all PBA crowns at one time since Alaska completed a grandslam season in 1996.
Uichico believes they will have more than enough motivation to go all-out to win the championship. First and foremost, the All-Filipino Cup is the only tournament which the present San Miguel team hasn’t won. Second, it will complete a sort of a grandslam for the Beermen following victories in the Commissioner’s and the Governors’ Cups last year.
But with the other finals slot still being contested, the biggest question is which team Uichico prefers to meet in the title playoff.
Uichico didn’t answer the question categorically but he sounded preferring Ginebra not because it being a sister team but because they seemingly have more chance of winning the crown versus the Kings than the Turbochargers.
"Distinct yung klase ng laro noong dalawa. Pero mas exciting at interesting siguro kung Ginebra dahil sila mahilig sa takbuhan, kami naman deliberate game," said Uichico. "Shell can matchup with us because it has the height."
History is on San Miguel’s side versus both Shell and Ginebra.
San Miguel has met Shell in the finals twice, beating the Turbochargers on both occasions with the first in the 1989 Open Conference and the second in the 1999 Commissioner’s Cup.
The SMC franchise completed a grandslam in 1989 by taking the Reinforced Conference crown versus Anejo Rum 65.
Personally, Uichico is aching to steer San Miguel to the All-Filipino championship as it is the only crown missing in the list of achievements in his young career in the league.
Before this tournament, Uichico has made it to the finals four times, emerging triumphant on all occasions. He won the Commissioner’s and the Governors’ Cups in his first year as SMB head coach in 1999 and returned to defend both championships last year.