WATCH: Chot Reyes on triumphant Jimmy Alapag

MANILA, Philippines – From one winner coach to another.

Gilas Pilipinas head coach Chot Reyes, as soon as Alab Pilipinas clinched the 2018 ABL crown, rained praises on his former ward Jimmy Alapag.

Congrats ALAB! Congrats Coach @JAlapag3 for winning a title in his 1st head coaching stint. Couldn’t have happened to a more deserving person #????????

— Chot Reyes (@coachot) May 2, 2018

The two served the Philippine flag in a myriad of international tournaments and also carved a place for themselves in the Philippine basketball lore.

Alapag continued to chime in his selfless service for flag and country, being a deputy to Reyes after his retirement.

But with Alab now being sponsored by San Miguel Corporation, the question begs to be asked: Does this, in any way, complicate, Alapag's place among Reyes' confindants in the Gilas program?

Watch our interview with Reyes himself here:

For context, the Gilas program is chiefly backed by Smart, a telco firm helmed by sports patron Manny V. Pangilinan.

Pangilinan-owned PBA teams Meralco, TNT and NLEX are among the squads seen as perennial contenders to the SMC triumvirate (composed of San Miguel Beer, Barangay Ginebra and Magnolia).