CHOT Reyes was quick to make a mark in his PBA coaching comeback.
The 58-year-old mentor not only helped the TnT franchise end a six-year title drought by winning the Philippine Cup championship at the Bacolor bubble in Pampanga Friday night, but likewise secured himself a place in league history as one of two most accomplished coaches as far as the all-Filipino conference is concerned.
By clinching his sixth Philippine Cup crown, Reyes is now tied with the late great Virgilio 'Baby' Dalupan for the most number of championships won in the so-called crown jewel of the league.
Dalupan won four of his all-Filipino titles while still with the fable Crispa Redmanizers, and the other two were with Great Taste.
Reyes meanwhile, won one each with Purefoods and Coca-Cola, and the rest with the TnT franchise, including back-to-back in 2011 and 2012, respectively.
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But his latest feat came almost a decade after when he had to be convinced by top management of the Manny V. Pangilinan Group in coming out from a long PBA coaching sabbatical.
The five-time Coach of the Year didn't expect to win a championship right away in his first season back after taking over the Tropang Giga coaching reins, but he had in his disposal a team that is loaded in all positions it can definitely compete among the best teams in the league.
The Tropang Giga finished the eliminations as the top seeded team, losing just once in 11 of their outings.
Then one after the other, TnT beat deposed champion Barangay Ginebra in the quarterfinals, survived an experienced San Miguel Beer unit in a riveting semifinals, before pouring everything out in a five-game title series against Magnolia.
In all, Reyes won his ninth championship to tie Jong Uichico at fourth place as the most winningest in the league after Tim Cone, Dalupan, and Norman Black, with five of it coming at the helm of the TnT franchise.
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Humble in victory though, Reyes said this one is not all about him, but more on the management, the TnT fans, and most of all, the players themselves.
"I have to give this award really to the players, the guys who are here behind me. They really put in the effort. They stayed together throughout the adversity," he said.
"And this is just a great reward for all their hardships." (RG)
