No excuses from Chot

Coca-Cola coach Chot Reyes said losing to Talk ‘N’ Text in the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) All-Filipino Cup Finals was painful and disappointing but expressed no bitterness in bowing to a team that deserved the crown.

"I’m not brooding," he said yesterday. "I told our guys we should never be afraid to lose because the fear of losing is the biggest roadblock to victory. In the same way we can accept victory, we should also know how to accept defeat."

There were tense moments when the Tigers didn’t immediately emerge from the dugout to receive the second-place trophy after the title-clinching Game 6 at the Cuneta Astrodome last Sunday. Was a boycott in the offing? Far from it, said Reyes.

"When we were called to go back on the floor, some of the guys had removed their shirts and shoes, some were crying," related Reyes. "We wanted to go out as a team, all of us, to receive the trophy we worked hard for. So it took a few minutes before we got out. There is no rancor on our part. Just to be in a position to win back-to-back championships is an achievement because it means you’ve won at least one and you were in line for another. Some things aren’t meant to be."

Reyes, 39, has more than proved himself as a winning coach in the PBA. He bagged the All-Filipino Cup crown for Purefoods in his first conference as a coach in 1993 and has since pocketed two more, one for Coca-Cola in last year’s All-Filipino Cup. A fourth title would’ve put Reyes in the company of Robert Jaworski, Yeng Guiao, and the late Ed Ocampo who’re in the record books for having clinched as many crowns.

Reyes said he has no regrets in the way the Finals turned out.

"We’re a team that beats bigger and more talented teams with our heart and hustle," noted Reyes. "In the Finals, they matched our heart and hustle–our competitive edge–so their superior size and talent took over. Their mental strength was admirable and impressive. Other teams would wilt and give up when we press and trap. We tried to overpower them with our desire but they refused to fold up."

Reyes said in the four games that the Tigers lost, they could’ve won. "They made the shots they had to make and (coach) Joel (Banal) made the astute defensive adjustments," he continued. "We were determined not to let Asi (Taulava) and Jimmy (Alapag) beat us. If the Phone Pals were to beat us, it would be other guys to do it. So it was Patrick (Fran) in Game 5 and Bong (Ravena) in Game 6. If they didn’t hit those three-pointers in Games 5 and 6, it would’ve been a different story."

What about officiating?

"The last two games were well officiated. We put together footage from Games 3 and 4 then submitted the tape to the Commissioner so they could be reviewed. Not to make it an excuse but it’s on record that during the Finals, Asi was never called for an offensive foul or a 3-second violation. Still, that’s not why we lost."

What could’ve been done differently at hindsight?

"Nothing really except, maybe I could’ve used my bench a little more in closing games. I could’ve played Reynel (Hugnatan) and Leo (Avenido) more in Games 4, 5, and 6. Maybe, I could’ve eased off the double on Asi in the final minutes and just let him get the two points instead of Fran, Bong or Jimmy hitting the three. Maybe, I could’ve fouled more down the stretch but the problem was so many of our guys were on the verge of fouling out."

How difficult was it to play in a long series?

"When we got up 2-0, we wanted to make it 3-0 so badly and try to end it in four or five. Our team plays best in a sprint. That’s why we’re tougher in a best-of-3 or best-of-5 series. We’re not built for long marathons because teams with a size matchup advantage just wear us down."

Why did Jeffrey Cariaso sit out crucial minutes in Games 4, 5, and 6?

"Jeff and I had coffee after dinner in Libis last Monday to talk about what happened. Jeff jammed his right index finger in Game 2 and played tentative from then on. Besides, Fran did an excellent defensive job on him. We sat him down because he failed to deliver in key situations. We got used to going to Jeff for the big shots but he just wasn’t there. We missed his presence and personality on the court. He took it professionally. I wanted him to know it wasn’t a question of a loss of trust, not at all. We have stats software that tracks the most efficient lineups on the floor, showing differentials between our opponents and us and after Games 3, 4, and 5, we found out we were most efficient with a big lineup–Poch (Juinio), Rafi (Reavis) and Rudy (Hatfield) plus Ato (Morano) and Johnny (Abarrientos). So we went with the numbers. Jeff left for the US to take a much-needed break last night. Rudy left for the US Monday morning. They’ll be back when we return to practice on July24".

Did injuries hurt Coca-Cola’s chances?

"We could’ve used Freddie (Abuda) on defense against Asi but he’s out with an ACL injury. Johnny wasn’t 100 percent but played beyond expectations. Jeff jammed the finger in his shooting hand–his field goal percentage dropped badly because of it. Will (Antonio) pulled his hamstring in the semis and you know how hard it is to play with that kind of pain."

Did God play a role in the Finals?

"Divine Providence alone didn’t do it. Joel is experiencing a charmed season. It’s not only talent that wins titles, also luck, timing, and a confluence of different things. Everything went right for Talk ‘N’ Text. The way Joel coached, the way he motivated his players, the way they overcame overwhelming odds. The drug suspensions even made them stronger. It was a team on a mission. Getting Jojo (Manalo) from us was a blessing for them. They initially asked for a guard but since we’d just signed up Rob (Wainwright) until the end of the year, we volunteered Jojo. Since they play a lot of zone and they need shooters to back up Asi, Jojo was perfect. I’m happy for Jojo. Talk ‘N’ Text is the best team for him."

Will the loss inspire the Tigers to play harder?

"Definitely. This will drive us to go to the next level. We owe it to management which has been extremely supportive. The Chairman (Ambassador Danding Cojuangco) himself joined us for dinner before Game 1 and told us to go out, play our best, and enjoy the Finals. No pressure at all. We’ve received only encouraging words from Mr. Cojuangco, his brother Mr. Henry, Mr. (Ramon) Ang, our President (Genju) Lapez, PBA Chairman (Jun) Cabalan, and Attorney (Jing) Mesias. We’ll be back with a vengeance."