Call it SMC ‘Sweet Slam’

The previous San Mig Coffee coach was Tim Cone. With two Slams to his name to include his 1996 Slam victory as Alaska mentor, he was assigned to handle Ginebra San Miguel

Magnolia was San Mig Coffee when San Mig Coffee won the fifth Grand Slam in the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) only a while back.

The first four Slams were achieved by Crispa in 1976 and 1983, San Miguel Beer in 1989 and Alaska in 1996.

With its victory in the PBA Governors’ Cup on Wednesday, Dec. 19, Magnolia has a new star coach in Chito Victolero?

I think so.

But first, a brisk walk down memory lane.

The previous San Mig Coffee coach was Tim Cone. With two Slams to his name to include his 1996 Slam victory as Alaska mentor, he was assigned to handle Ginebra San Miguel.

Ginebra won this year’s Commissioner’s Cup.

Before that, San Miguel Beer retained its Philippine Cup as Beermen coach Leo Austria captured his sixth crown in seven Finals appearances.

Magnolia’s triumph this week did not only end its six-year losing drought.

More importantly, if not sweetly, it completed a “Sweet Slam” for San Miguel Corp.— SMB, Ginebra and Magnolia being all under the SMC umbrella.

It marked a first in the league’s 43-year existence that one and the same company has collared all three Conferences staked per season.

I am happy for Victolero. He did well, considering that he is not as seasoned a coach.

For him to have handled his import, Romeo Travis, so well could only mean one thing: He knows his business of coaching.

Even Travis spoke nicely of Victolero: “It’s because of coach Victolero that I’ve played so well in the Conference.”

While I raise my glass to Victolero all the way, my heart bleeds—continues to bleed—for Alaska coach Alex Compton.

The many times he has reached the Finals, I have lost count.

I hope I am wrong if I say he could now be the coach who owns the record of the most number of Finals losses since the league’s birth in 1975.

If I’m sustained, Compton seems to have a lock on the tag the PBA’s Mr. Hard Luck Kid.

Did he not bungle a 3-0 lead and lose a championship in a bitter 4-3 decision to SMB’s Austria some years back?

Compton’s loss, therefore, to Victolero has further rubbed salt to injury. Ouch!