San Miguel ace center Danny Ildefonso admitted the core of the team isn’t getting any younger but their Sunday feat has given the coaching staff no reason to think of a massive facelift for next campaign.
With this in mind, the Beermen worked hard together to overcome classification-round topnotchers the Talk n Text Phone Pals in winning the Gran Matador PBA Fiesta Cup title.
"It’s been a while since we won our last championship. With the opportunity coming our way, we did the best we could to grab it. We’re determined to win a championship again to keep the coaching staff from thinking of overhauling the team," said Ildefonso in Filipino.
"We’re no longer spring chickens but we proved we still have what it takes to be the best team in the league. With this championship, I feel there wouldn’t be an overhaul," Ildefonso added.
Ildefonso, now a bit injury-prone at 28, recalled his old deadly form in the series, emerging as the team’s top local scorer and No. 2 rebounder. He was most productive in Games One and Two, delivered clutch points in Game Five and, thus, emerged as the Finals MVP winner.
A former NU King Bulldog who, together with Danny Seigle, Olsen Racela and Nic Belasco, has been a major fixture in San Miguel’s rotation for quite sometime, Ildefonso said they’ve grown older and wiser.
Racela is the oldest at 34. Belasco is 31 while Seigle is 29.
Racela said he’s been offered to join Uichico’s staff but he respectfully declined, saying he still wanted to concentrate on playing. "Mas malaki ang sweldo ng player eh," he said in jest.
Dorian Pena, Arnold Gamboa and Joey Mente are the only other members of the last triumphant San Miguel squad (2001 All-Filipino champions) who are still with the team. Boybits Victoria is now assisting Uichico, Freddie Abuda and Robert are now playing for other teams while Henry Fernandez, Dwight Lago and Mike Mustre are unrestricted free agents.
After collecting six titles in a three-year stretch with this bunch, San Miguel’s crumbled and collapsed due to injuries to key players and the major buildup of the other squads.
But it took San Miguel only four years to soar to the top once again.
With a dependable import in Ace Custis and an efficient mix spiced up by Dondon Hontiveros and Francis Adriano, the Beermen achieved an unprecedented 17th PBA title while crushing the Phone Pals’ own bid for a second crown in the league.
"The key there was the players wanting a championship. They wanted it that much and believed they can get it," said Uichico.
To Uichico’s mind, the turning point in the series was their 81-79 cliffhanger in Game Two.
"Sinuwerte kami we got that 2-0 lead. Had we lost that game, it could have been different. Pwedeng maging 2-2 or 3-2 at hindi na natin masabi kung ano ang mangyayari. On hindsight, Game 2 really was the turning point," said Uichico.
Taking the 2-0 lead, the Beermen didn’t feel the pressure despite a 77-103 blowout in Game Three.
The Beermen, instead, took to heart that embarrassing defeat and scored a decisive 87-82 win the next game to go 3-1 up in the best-of-seven series.
As fate would have it, the Beermen finished off the Phone Pals in Game Five last Sunday to wild celebration of the team, their fans and supporters at the Astrodome.
"There was a time in the game that we’re down by 10, 57-47, but instead of thinking that let’s play the next game na lang, anyway we’re up in the series, hindi pumasok sa isip nila yun at lumaban hanggang sa kahuli-hulihan," said Uichico.
"Our streak came at the right time and our lead also came at the right time," Uichico added.