LUIGI Trillo started his coaching career with the Adamson Falcons, who took a painful nosedive with 41 losses in 43 games in the first three of his six years as a coach in the UAAP men’s basketball tournament two decades ago.
The Falcons got a taste of just one win in 14 matches in 1999 and took 28 straight losses over the next season, before finally getting over the hump and back on track during Trillo’s fourth year with the collegiate squad.
Many years later, the 48-year-old Trillo took less than a year to win as a pro coach, when the Bolts finally snared their first crown on Sunday night with the 48th Philippine Basketball Association Philippine Cup title.
He succeeded with a bunch of veterans, led by Chris Newsome, in bringing down a giant, the San Miguel Beermen, 80-78, in Game 6 of their best-of-seven finals’ clash at the Araneta Coliseum.
“We commend San Miguel. It’s a proud franchise. We congratulate them also for a wonderful series. It’s surreal for us. We’ve been working closely together. We’re just proud with the way with battled through it,” said Trillo.
Through the years and with memories of his first outings as coach, Trillo had taken lessons from his Adamson Falcons’ experience, respecting the strength and weaknesses of his collegiate opponents during those early years, and taking those learnings to the present.
This made Trillo thankful for those blessings as he and members of his family finally whooped it up with the fans over the Bolts’ historical title conquest.
“It’s one of those series where it’s close every game. And it comes down the wire,” added Trillo after the Bolts finally got their championship after five attempts over the last nine years.
Newsome delivered the finishing kick for the Meralco Bolts. His jumper off Chris Banchero’s assist found its mark in the last 1.3 seconds, with his winning basket capping Newsome’s Finals’ MVP honors
The 6’2” Newsome went on to topscore for the Bolts with 15 points, to go with five rebounds and four assists.
“We credit our guys. They found a way. They kept on staying on,” said Trillo.