‘Who would’ve thought?’ Cone left to wonder amid another PBA title in his belt
MANILA, Philippines — Barangay Ginebra’ head coach Tim Cone couldn’t believe it himself: That his team of just almost three years has won its third PBA title.
He may have been an architect to two PBA Grand Slams. He may have won 20 titles all in all. He may be the winningest tactician in the league.
But Cone admits there’s so many “who would’ve thought it” moments that underscored Barangay Ginebra’s march to the top of the Commissioner’s Cup that took 21 years in the making.
“There’s so many 'who would've thought it' moments in this conference. We were 1 and 5 (win-loss record), and who would have even thought that we'd make the playoffs?” he offered.
Cone went on to share that his best friend from New York was even caught in the assumption that Ginebra was not going to go deep in the playoffs.
“It's funny because I had my best friend was visiting from New York. He's my best man at my wedding, he was the best man at my wedding. He says I'm coming to Manila, you know, and he stayed with me. He was my best childhood friend, we grew up together here. And we were 1-5, and I said when you come, I'll have free time. We can go out and do things and everything. Suddenly he arrives, and it was Game One of the Finals,” he bared.
And then they went on to face the stacked San Miguel Beer. Then beat them.
“Then when we got matched up with San Miguel, who would've thought that we've been able to win this series, and who would have thought that we can win it in six games?” Cone shared.
Cone’s latest feat hikes his championship wins to 21, just a couple of Finals victories from tying the winningest club in the PBA, the Beermen.
Not only did Cone further his legend but he also exorcized the bitter taste from over two decades ago when he was at the receiving end of that loss as he was mentoring Alaska Milkmen against Gordon’s Gin — which is now Barangay Ginebra— and a young Marlou Aquino.
“I remember that very well. I had Kevin Holland as my import and that was Marlou’s rookie year. Marlou just absolutely dominated that Finals. We didn’t have any answers and he guarded our import and shut our import down the whole time. Our import couldn’t score. So I remember that one very well,” he said.
“I was shocked to find out the last one. And I didn’t know it until someone mentioned it before the finals. And we used it. We talked about it as a team, it’s the first time in 21 years that our organization could win a championship here. So it was definitely a motivating factor, no doubt,” Cone bared.
“So again, who would've thought that we would be all the way there?”
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