GINEBRA coach Tim Cone and TNT mentor Chot Reyes are familiar with each other’s tactics in a championship scenario.
Having coached different and same teams in the past, Cone and Reyes have learned from each other and now have set up a rematch as they sent their respective squads — the Barangay Ginebra San Miguel Kings and the TNT Tropang Giga, respectively, to the 49th Philippine Basketball Association Governors’ Cup finals series.
For Reyes, his past matchup with Cone is back to square one as Game 1 of the best-of-seven affair between the Tropang Giga and the Gin Kings begin at 7:30 p.m. on Sunday at the Ynares Sports Center in Antipolo City.
Both will have their first duel as coaches in 12 years, with their personal head-to-head in a championship clash tied at 3-3.
“It’s (Ginebra’s) a tough team with an excellent coach. I think in the end, magkakatalo iyan on how the players execute, and with the team that is able to exert their style of play and will on the court,” said Reyes, former coach of Gilas Pilipinas, now mentored by Cone.
The last time they clashed, Cone steered B-Meg to a 90-84 overtime victory over Talk N Text for the 2012 Commissioner’s Cup title.
Looking forward, Cone said hard work has gotten the Gin Kings this far in the conference.
“We worked so hard to be here at this point. And now that we’re here, it’s a do or die for us, it’s going to be disappointing if we don’t get far,” said Cone.
The first time Cone and Reyes met in a finals’ setup as coaches was in 1994. That was when Reyes’ Purefoods TJ Hotdogs prevailed over Cone’s Alaska Milkmen, 94-79, in Game 5 of the PBA Commissioners Cup championship.
Back then, the Hotdogs won the series at 4-1.
