Coach, First 5 combined for SMB victory

Look, SMB’s title-clinching 91-85 victory before 20,217 screaming spectators Sunday that included Secretary Bong Go at Smart Araneta Coliseum was, without a doubt, a combination of Austrias’ consistent coaching and a First Five long considered as the leag

With San Miguel Beer winning a record-tying third straight PBA crown, the question is: Can the Beermen do it again next year?

I may be guilty of jumping into conclusions but I cant help it. So, maybe yes? With the way San Miguel Beer demolished the field en route to bagging the PBA Philippine Cup, it set itself a cut above the rest.

Fashioning out an impeccable 10-1 card in the 12-team eliminations (that lone loss to Phoenix was a fluke), the Beermen found rough sailing but nonetheless swept into the Finals only a bit unruffled.

After destroying Rain or Shines twin-win bid in the quarters with a huge Game 1 win to advance to the semifinals, SMB expertly weathered a Game 7 decider against TNT KaTropa. Of course, it helped SMBs cause that Jason Castro, Asia’s reigning best guard, was absent in Game 7 as the TNT mainstay got injured in the series. With Castro out, half of SMB’s job was done.

SMB beating TNT deflected the MVP franchises trespass attempt into practically a San Miguel Corp. party in the just-ended All-Filipino.

The three semifinalists SMB, Ginebra and Starare SMC property. The semis fly in the ointment was TNT, for so long the choicest cut in the MVP basketball platform.

TNT was vintage blue chip because it established the 42-year-old leagues first three-peat in an All-Filipino series with its victories in 2011, 2012 and 2013.

But with SMB’s 4-1 rout of Ginebra (a predicted 4-0 blanking of the Gins evaporated in Game 2 via overtime breaks that went Ginebra’s way), unraveled was Leo Austrias ascension as a full-fledged champion coach (4 titles in the last 7 conferences).

Look, SMB’s title- clinching 91-85 victory before 20,217 screaming spectators Sunday that included Secretary Bong Go at Smart Araneta Coliseum was, without a doubt, a combination of Austrias’ consistent coaching and a First Five long considered as the league’s Best Five (Fajardo, Lassiter, Santos, Cabagnot and Finals MVP Ross).

Still, to say that SMB would win the All-Filipino again next year is as risky as saying Donald Trump will not last four years as US President.

But this much I can say: SMBs First Five may yet do it again, barring its dissolution.