NOT a lot of people believed– except perhaps its inner circle– that TNT, with new coach Jojo Lastimosa calling the shots, could reach the Promised Land.
In his first conference at the helm, Lastimosa and the Tropang Giga put all those doubts to rest last Friday night.
“It’s incredible. It’s unbelievable even noong nag-buzzer na, noong alam ko na nangyayari na. Can you imagine? Paulit-ulit kong sinasabi,” Lastimosa said. “I’m not supposed to be here. I’m not supposed to be coaching here.
“My deal was if I’m going to coach, I’ll coach it. I’m not going to be just a mouthpiece and they agreed to it,” he added.
Lastimosa spoke after TNT fashioned out a gutsy 97-93 decision over erstwhile two-time defending champion Ginebra in Game 6 of their best-of-7 title battle in the PBA Governors’ Cup.
Gunner Mikey Williams exploded for a game-high 38 points on nine three-pointers, to go with seven rebounds and three assists for the Tropang Giga. He was named finals MVP.
Best import Rondae Hollis-Jefferson also shone with 29 markers, 14 boards and six dimes as TNT battled back from a 1-2 series deficit by winning the last three duels, including a 104-95 triumph in the fifth game last Wednesday.
It was also the Tropang Giga’s maiden crown in the season-ending tourney and ninth overall.
A pro league great himself, Lastimosa admitted his stint was supposed to be just for the Third Conference as tactician Chot Reyes needed to focus on his task of handling Gilas Pilipinas for the FIBA World Cup this year.
But with Lastimosa winning it all in his first try– and at the expense of Kings counterpart Tim Cone, with whom he played for during his heydays– that plan might change.
“It might change everything, but it remains to be seen if this is really a one-off. Ang pagkakaalam ko, this is a one-off. But I don’t know what MVP will do, Mr. Vargas will do, Mr. Al Panlilio will do. But I’ll be ready just in case,” Lastimosa said.
“I can be a manager and a coach at the same time. I’m still doing my managerial job. I haven’t lost that one yet.”
Lastimosa did not forget to give plaudits to his coaching staff that spelled the big difference in their campaign.
“The good thing about the set-up is that sila Josh (Reyes), Sandy (Arespacochaga), Yuri (Escueta), alam na alam nila iyong system. We are just running the same system as Chot,” he said.
“Nagkakaiba iba lang iyong substitution patterns ko, iyong mga timeouts ko. But generally, it was an incredible job by the coaches.”
Cone said while he is happy his former star player and assistant coach tasted victory, the defeat stings.
“I’m not the nicest guy when I lose. I’m happy for Jojo, but I don’t like losing,” Cone said.
“He gave me a little bit of a hug that I probably shook off a little bit. He (Lastimosa) and I are really close, but it’s painful to lose.”
