Harbour Centre destined to win

Harbour Centre never really thought it could ever make it past the elimination stage of the PBL Unity Cup after a sputtering 2-6 start. In fact, coach Jorge Gallent had already thought of quitting while the quitting was good.

But one cannot argue with destiny. And for team owner Mikee Romero, his Port Masters were simply destined to win.

"It’s really a story book ending," said a jubilant Romero, the 36-year-old executive of the country’s largest bulk and breakbulk cargo handling port terminal after his gritty wards pulled off a 73-66 victory over the Toyota Otis Starks in their winner-take-all match and completed their improbable title run last Saturday.

"But I believe it’s our destiny," he added. "Because they were already counting us out when we were down."

Truly, the Port Masters dug their way out of a deep hole to scrape past the elimination and into a quarterfinal duel with 2006 Heroes Cup third placer Granny Goose.

Against all odds, the Harbour Centre quintet upended the Snack Masters twice and then stunned the heavily favored Montaña Jewels in the semifinals to barge into the championship round against the talented Toyota Otis Sparks.

The rest was history.

"When we were 2-6 in the elimination, I was so down I was thinking of resigning. I never told anyone but I was really thinking of it," said Gallent, a high school buddy of Romero at La Salle-Zobel.

"I’m just glad the management and my players never gave up on me, and that gave me strength," added Gallent, who won his first title as a coach after taking part in Tanduay Rhum’s eight-title romp in 10 straight championship appearances in the 90s.

LA Tenorio and Joseph Yeo, the strongest links to the Port Masters’ title conquest, also didn’t expect the team to reach this far.

"I remember last April that we were already planning to spend a long week in June in Cebu because I thought we’re not going to make it," said Tenorio, the former Ateneo standout named the Finals MVP, his first individual plum in a league as big as the PBL.

"During that time, I was also thinking of an early summer vacation because I was expecting we’ll be eliminated," said Yeo, the Pivotal Player of the title series, who erupted for 28 points in Game 5 in what could be the league’s biggest clutch performance.

And Romero was just thankful he had these three guys. "We wouldn’t have made it without LA and Joseph," said Romero. "And of course, how can I forget Jorge, who never gave up despite the team’s early disappointments."

Romero also made mention of the team’s five-man acquisition this conference that also proved to be the missing link in the franchise’s failed title bids in the last two conferences.

"I also have to mention Chiko Lanete, Gec Chia, Rico Maeirhofer, Ryan Arana and Allan Gamboa because they were the last pieces of the championship puzzle," he said.