Their place in history

San Miguel Beer has added a fresh page to the history of Philippine basketball. The lone surviving founding member of the Philippine Basketball Association stumbled in the series opener, then won four straight games to defeat the incomplete Magnolla Hotshots. Moreover, with a fourth consecutive Philippine Cup championship, this current iteration of the feat has found itself in discussions for the greatest Beermen squad of all time. That’s actually an incomplete statement. The present players of the San Miguel Beer/Petron/Magnolia/Gold Eagle/Royal Tru-Orange franchise find themselves in several discussions, some of which are still premature in the long view of history, if not downright heretical, at this point in time.

With 25 championships since 1975, SMB has proven itself as the constant barometer of excellence in pro sports in the Philippines, through several economic and political upheavals in the last half-century. It has 11 more than its nearest rival Alaska Milk, with an 11 years’ headstart. And let us also recall the memorable Grand Slam of 1989, authored by a 20-something playing coach import named Norman Black.

So what conversations can we have about this batch of Beermen?

Greatest team? Too soon. Many Crispa, Toyota, Great Taste and Purefoods fans would have something to say about that, though the first two were basically two batches of players, who also happened to contribute to the latter two. Many people forget that Great Taste Coffee won four consecutive championships between 1984 and 1985 (The 1984 Second All-Filipino and Invitational, and the 1985 Open and All-Filipino). The only facts unjustly leaving them out of debates for greatest team of all time consideration were their shaky start, and they did not win all the championships staked in one given season or calendar year.

Greatest starting unit, perhaps? Well, with all due respect to the reigning All-Filipino Kings, they’d have trouble getting out of their own backyard for that one. Other SMB first fives have included Hector Calma, Samboy Lim, Mon Fernandez, Ricardo Brown and later, Allan Caidic. You’d get into a pretty heated debate saying today’s starters are just as good as those venerable legends, at least for the next few seasons. After all, all of those names are already among the league’s greatest of all time, a pretty elite club in and of itself. 

So, how do today’s Beermen crash that exclusive party? Simply by playing the way they’ve been playing. The 2018 Beermen have won with some qualities that every team wishes would come together. They’re already playing with at least one all-time great in June Mar Fajardo, who’s been hoisting up record-setting numbers of trophies (four MVPs, six Best Player of the Conference Awards) and is probably just at the midpoint of his career. They put four players on the Mythical Team. When Alaska won their Grand Slam in 1996, they had three: MVP Johnny Abarrientos, Jojo Lastimosa and Bong Hawkins. They were already the benchmark for teamwork then. So this batch of Beermen are getting there. 

These young men have four traits that make them formidable: first, they shoot incredibly well from the outside. From the guards to Arwind Santos to role-playing Gabby Espinas, they have proven that they can score in bunches with or without Fajardo on the floor. With all the comebacks they’ve put up in the Finals alone, much of that shooting was truly remarkable.

Secondly, they have the depth. This is a team that gave away a big part of its bench for the top draft pick. Yet, practically everyone who suited up contributed. After Game One, it was the bench that rallied or built leads more often than the starters. That provides stability and interchangeable parts in tight situations.

Third, defense has been solid throughout the season. Of course, it’s hard to score with a 6’10” center in the paint. But the intensity and athleticism of the entire roster is what keeps other teams out of the paint, forces adjustments, and eats up shot clocks.

Lastly, the Beermen have some brainpower on the bench. The coaching staff alone is a PBA legends squad. And Leo Austria’s disarming “aw shucks” demeanor disarms and enhances chemistry, but also belies decades of winning experience. Everyone talks about the players. But it’s the coach who calls the shots that kill you.

In a couple of seasons, we’ll be having this conversation again. And it will probably be a very different discussion.