For coach Chot Reyes, winning a championship is already special.
But an eighth crown he got as coach of the Talk N Text Tropang Giga has a more exceptional personal connotation to him.
“Every championship is special, pero iba talaga ito. Because first of all, ang tagal kong nawala,” said the 58-year-old Reyes, who steered the Tropang Giga to the 2021 Philippine Basketball Association Philippine Cup crown last Friday following his return to coaching last March.
Reyes, who talked about the team’s achievement on the weekly program “Power and Play,” has been absent in the PBA for the last nine years after he got busy handling the Gilas Pilipinas national men’s team from 2012 to 2014, and from 2016 to 2018.
During his long layoff, he also concentrated on his television career by serving as president of TV5, with Media5, which served as the sales and marketing arm of TV5, and as the head of Sports5, the network’s sports division.
The journey to the championship, according to Reyes, was also difficult and unimaginable.
The Tropang Giga landed on top of the leaderboard at end of the eliminations at 10-1, with the games held with no spectators at the Don Honorio Ventura State University Gym in Bacolor, Pampanga.
Wielding a twice-to-beat incentive, they went on to beat Barangay Ginebra San Miguel, 84-71, in the quarterfinals, to reach the best-of-seven semifinals against the San Miguel Beermen.
In the semis, the Tropang Giga advanced to the best-of-seven finals with a 4-3 record after stopping the Beermen, 97-79, in Game 7.
The finals saw the Tropang Giga appearing dominant, and in Game 7, they relied on better firepower to bring down the Magnolia Hotshots, 94-79.
But for Reyes, the series was not that easy and dominating for the Tropang Giga.
“The series was a lot closer than what the scores indicated. Sobrang hirap. Never at any moment did we feel that the series was under control,” said Reyes.
The situations and injuries confronting many players and big men in the roster, made the outcome of the finals quite suspenseful for TNT.
For one, slotman man Kelly Williams suffered a strained back and had to be stretchered out the playing court in Game 1.
Williams left the game at the 5:21 mark of the third period, a few moments after a failed attempt and was gone after the Tropang Giga’s 88-70 win over Magnolia.
Poy Erram sustained facial fracture from an accident in Game 4 of the semis and he needed to play with caution for the rest of TNT’s campaign in the finals.
Backup center Dave Marcelo missed Game 5 Friday due to “internal team disciplinary action” after he reportedly got involved in a fight with Magnolia sophomore Aris Dionisio at the lobby of their hotel.
The incident took place following TNT’s 106-89 win in Game 4 last Wednesday.
In Game 3, a hard foul by Magnolia forward Jackson Corpuz put TNT ace big man Troy Rosario out of action and left him doubtful for Game 4.
Rosario still played, but with limited minutes as the Tropang Giga went on to post a 106-89 win in the fourth game of the series.
Reyes said that the Magnolia Hotshots are a strong team and they showed it during the finals.
“They’re really tough at hindi bibigay ang team na iyan,” added Reyes, who now earned his place in league history as one of two most accomplished coaches as far as the all-Filipino conference is concerned.
In getting his sixth Philippine Cup crown as a coach, Reyes is now tied with the late great Virgilio ‘Baby’ Dalupan for the most number of All-Filipino championships won.
Dalupan won four of his all-Filipino titles when he was still with the Crispa Redmanizers from 1975 to 1980, while the other two were with Great Taste (1983, 1984).
Reyes won one each with the Purefoods TJ Hotdogs and the Coca-Cola Tigers, and the rest with the TNT franchise, one in 2008, back-to-back title conquests in 2011 and 2012 and the recent one.