MANILA, Philippines — Among the myriad of plots surrounding the PBA Finals featuring San Miguel Beer and Magnolia is a story of an enduring partnership.
Unbeknownst to many, Hotshots head coach Chito Victolero and veteran big man Rafi Reavis go a long way back.
The pair were classmates during the 2002 Philippine Basketball Association. Draft. Reavis, then on the brink of going pro out of Coppin State, was selected second overall while Victolero was picked 13th in the second round. But prior to that, they’ve already seen action together.
Reavis and Victolero served the San Juan Knights in the defunct Metropolitan Basketball Association. They won one title before the two turned their sights onto the PBA.
Philstar.com caught up with Victolero and asked about his relationship with Reavis, who is now gunning for his 11th title in the PBA and the most titles in the Purefoods franchise.
.@M_Hotshots head coach Chito Victolero talks about his relationship w/ @RafiReavis, the team’s oldest and most decorated cager. The two were draft classmates in 2002. They also won a championship in the MBA. Tonight, they’re going for another one. Together. #PBAFinals #PBA2018 pic.twitter.com/2MK2fbWccw
— Denison Rey Dalupang (@sonrd) March 23, 2018
In a separate interview, the 6-foot-8 Filipino-American cager said that he’s in the game for the long haul, but jokingly pointed out that he isn’t hanging around like Robert Jaworski Sr., who played until 51.
Asked about his ever-growing team’s chance against heavy favorites San Miguel, Reavis said he is optimistic.
“I like our chance. Honest answer, we have a 50-50 chance,” he said. “We're gonna face a very good team in San Miguel but you know, they can only have 5 guys inside the court at a time, so we'll take it possession by possession and we'll see who comes out on top. “
“It's gonna be about us. Not only showing up but doing the right things,” the 40-year-old Reavis said.
“You know, just showing up is having a chance. You show up and do right things, you really have a chance,” he closed.
The best-of-seven titular showdown comes off wraps on Friday night at the Smart-Araneta Coliseum.