Jonas emerges SMB's guard of future

San Miguel Beer coach Siot Tanquingcen recently called Jonas Villanueva the team’s “guard of the future” but said the former FEU star owes the PBA Fiesta Conference Finals MVP trophy to veterans Olsen Racela and Mike Cortez.

“Jonas is the Finals MVP but he couldn’t have done it without the help of Olsen and Mike,” said Tanquingcen. “Jonas has a great upside and his versatility allows him to play one or two. We’re comfortable playing Jonas and Mike together in the backcourt.”

At practice, Racela and Cortez took turns pushing Villanueva to the limit, preparing him for the real test against Barangay Ginebra. In the end, Villanueva passed with flying colors. Racela and Cortez, his mentors, couldn’t be happier.

Villanueva, 26, was San Miguel’s first round pick and ninth overall in the 2007 draft. Chosen ahead were teammates Samigue Eman (second overall) and Ken Bono (sixth overall). The No. 1 pick was Joe DeVance.

As a rookie, Villanueva hit 3.4 points a game. But as a sophomore this past season, Villanueva blossomed to average 8.5 points, 3.3 rebounds and 4.0 assists. In the just-concluded Fiesta Conference, he had an auspicious start, scoring 27 against Alaska then tallied 23 in the semifinal clincher against Burger King and 15 in Game 7 of the Finals against Ginebra. Villanueva averaged 10.5 points in the conference and 11.0 in the Finals.

It wasn’t just Villanueva’s offense that shone brightly in the playoffs. It was also his pesky defense. But more than anything else, Villanueva showed the backcourt leadership that Racela, now the league’s oldest player at 38, once provided.

Although Tanquingcen said the future belongs to the youth, he’s content with San Miguel’s balanced mix of veterans and new blood. Dondon Hontiveros, Danny Ildefonso, Danny Seigle, Lordy Tugade, Mick Pennisi, Racela, Dorian Peña and Chris Calaguio are the seniors – all at least 30. The “youth” brigade consists of Cortez, Villanueva, Marc Pingris, Jay-Washington, Eman, Wesley Gonzales, Bono and Bonbon Custodio.

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Tanquingcen said he’s not aware of developments of a supposed trade involving Burger King’s Arwind Santos to San Miguel.

“I don’t know,” he said. “If it happens, it happens. I think that talk has been going on for over a year.”

Tanquingcen said player movements are in the realm of team manager Hector Calma’s responsibility.

Calma, for his part, said at the moment, there is nothing to disclose. He mentioned that the contracts of Cortez, Pingris, Eman, Racela, Calaguio and Villanueva are expiring. The others, including Seigle and Ildefonso, are still holding live contracts.

Tanquingcen said beating Ginebra coach Joseph Uichico in three of three playoff series is no indication of who’s better. He said there’s no such thing as a coach’s jinx even if the notion is he knows Uichico inside out, having been his assistant at San Miguel and Ginebra.

“I’m nowhere near what coach Jong has accomplished,” said Tanquingcen. “His record speaks for itself. He’s a real championship coach. When I’m coaching against him, I really learn much more. He forces me to think because he’s always a step ahead of you. He’s a big reason why San Miguel is what it is today.”

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Tanquingcen said skills coach Alton Lister deserves a lot of credit for San Miguel’s championship. It was Lister who recruited Gabe Freeman for the Beermen. Lister coached Freeman at Mesa Community College in Arizona and recommended him to Tanquingcen. When Chris Williams came in to play two games for San Miguel late in the eliminations, it was Lister who spoke to Freeman and assured him the change was temporary.

Freeman, 23, proved his worth as Best Import by leading San Miguel to a sweep of Games 6 and 7 to wrap up the Finals. His father flew in from the US to watch the title series. From the PBA, Freeman plans to play in the Korean league. He left right after the Finals to report for the Korean league import tryouts in Las Vegas.

It seemed like San Miguel was destined to win the Fiesta Conference from the start. Three players who figured prominently in the Finals were injured as the tournament began. Pingris sat out the first four games, Ildefonso the first seven and Cortez the first 12 but they were ready to play in the Finals. Pingris averaged 8.3 points, Ildefonso 11.1 and Cortez 13 in the seven-game series that brought San Miguel its 18th league title, eclipsing the record 17 championships won by Boston in the NBA.