When Leo Austria returned to call the shots for the San Miguel Beermen, he had a clear plan he needed to put into place.
Austria had been studying the gameplay of several teams that competed in the 2023 FIBA World Cup, which the Philippines hosted two years ago.
The Beermen gradually transformed into a new team when the 67-year-old Austria came back as head coach midway through the PBA Commissioner’s Cup in December last year.
The transformation was immediately felt, starting with their game against Terrafirma at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium that same month.
The team’s hard work finally paid off when the Beermen clinched the 49th Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) Philippine Cup championship on Friday evening.
“During those times when I wasn’t involved with the team, I kept watching the FIBA World Cup games. I was at MOA and Araneta to figure out a lot of things. Now, our defense is different compared to our past games,” Austria said.
He shared this after the Beermen captured their 11th Philippine Cup crown on a wet and drizzly Friday evening at the Philsports Arena, defeating the TNT Tropang 5G, 107-96, in Game 6.
Junemar Fajardo was unstoppable in Game 6 of the best-of-seven finals, scoring 10 of his game-high 24 points during a decisive third-quarter run.
CJ Perez also scored 24 points, with 14 coming in the second quarter, helping the Beermen take a 52-47 lead at halftime.
“Watching the FIBA World Cup 2023 games helped a lot. So when I returned as head coach, the players noticed the changes. From Day 1, I focused on fixing one-on-one situations up to the team’s 5-on-5 execution,” Austria added.
Jericho Cruz, who was named Finals MVP, delivered nine of his 13 points during the pivotal third quarter for San Miguel.
The Beermen, who also got 12 points from Don Trollano, closed the series with a 4-2 victory, denying the Tropang 5G a chance to pull off a season sweep.
For Austria, who coached San Miguel from 2014 to 2022, this latest title marks his 10th PBA championship in 11 finals appearances with the team.
A four-time PBA Coach of the Year, Austria has now given San Miguel a record-extending 30th championship.
The 66-year-old coach previously led the Beermen to nine titles, including an unprecedented five consecutive Philippine Cup crowns, during his eight-year stint from 2014 to 2022.
