Franz Pumaren: PBA coach, franchise architect and playoffs believer

One hour before Air 21 faced San Mig Coffee in Game 1 of the PBA Commissioner’s Cup semifinals, Air 21 head coach Franz Pumaren sat inside the locker room. He appeared relaxed. I suppose the better term is self-assured. Like he knew exactly why his team was here. Maybe he didn’t know for sure that his team would beat San Mig Coffee, 103-100, three hours later. But in the quiet moments before another big game, he certainly knew that the team he built from ground zero was now capable of such feats.

MH: How important is it for you that people start looking at you not just as a multi-titled college coach but a PBA coach who’s out there trying to win championships?

FP: First of all, when I accepted this job, I knew it was a challenge. Remember we started from scratch. In fact, the three new teams that will come in next season, they have the luxury of getting players out of the “protect 12” plus draft picks. Kami during our first year, wala, zero. Nothing against my players then but we were just like a dignified (PBA) D-League team. But you know, building a team or rebuilding a team, it really takes time, patience and everything. I think right now, more or less, we have siguro 80 percent, 90 percent of the ingredients that we need to make the team successful.

MH: Are you getting enough credit for bringing Air 21 from where it once was to where it is now especially since you said you started from scratch?

FP: I’ll throw back that question to you. Do you think I’m getting or we’re getting the credit we deserve?

MH: I believe I’m giving you credit by writing this.

FP: In fact, I was telling (my players) after my postgame interview (after Air 21 beat San Miguel to advance to the semifinals) not one member of the press gave us a chance that we’ll beat San Miguel. You know what’s so nice about beating San Miguel, we beat them two in a row. Two in a row. The first win, it was convincing. The second win, it showed the character of the team. We were down ten points in the last two minutes and we still won. Actually when we first played San Miguel during the elimination round, I was so mad at my players because we lost, but deep inside, even my coaches knew this, I knew that we could compete with them.

MH: So you knew that even before the first game of the quarterfinals?

FP: Yes. Because even if we lost that elimination round game after being up by 18, I knew na kaya namin. People were thinking that we wanted to face Talk ‘N Text in the quarterfinals because every time we faced Talk ‘N Text, it would be a close game. I think we were the only team that Talk ‘N Text team below their average winning margin. I think we just lost to them by three or four points. So within the team, among the coaches, we knew we had a good match-up against San Miguel.

MH: And you weren’t just saying that just for motivational purposes? You really believed it?

FP: Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes.

MH: For the record, I thought aabot yung series ng two games but eventually San Miguel would win. At least I gave you one game.

FP: (Laughs)

(At this point, I was ready to be forcibly dragged out of the Air 21 locker room by team enforcer Ogie Menor and assistant coach Tonichi Yturri. Fortunately, they were too excited to face San Mig Coffee to worry about whatever I said.)

MH: And now your team is here in the semis. Is Air 21 out here to, not just score another upset, but to actually go all the way? As in, go all the way to the finals?

FP: I believe we’re looking in that direction. It’s an old cliché but we have to take care of our business here in the semis first. I think what’s important is we match San Mig Coffee’s intensity. If you look at them right now, they’re all banged up and yet they’re still winning. That’s because they’re outworking the other team. They’re outhustling the other team. And the championship poise that they have is a big factor. They have a certain aura that they can beat any team when it’s crunch time. And you’ll only get that aura when you start winning championships and that’s the trait of a very good team.

MH: What kind of aura does your team have?

FP: I can say we have this attitude that we can compete with everybody. We’re getting the respect of the other teams. In fact, I think we really shocked all the basketball experts by beating San Miguel.

MH: For the record, I’m also not an expert.

FP: (Laughs)

MH: What are your thoughts on Asi (Taulava) and what he has done for Air 21?

FP: Modestly speaking, we know how to use him, we know how to use his strengths, and we know how to hide his weaknesses. That’s one advantage we have. Another thing about Asi, he’s a leader. He leads by example. He’s a very assertive leader. Usually, I use him as an example like I’ll tell my players he’s the oldest guy yet he’s the one running the fastest. Let’s face it, Asi earned that respect and his leadership role because of what he accomplished over the years. Even in practice, sometimes when I ask him to rest but he’ll say, ‘Coach I don’t want anyone to think that I’m slacking off.’ And I’ll say, ‘Yeah. But you still need to rest.’

MH: I’m personally excited to see your coaching battle with Tim Cone. I covered you in the UAAP. I saw you win all those UAAP championships. But maybe that’s not where other people are coming from. Ang tingin ng marami kay Coach Tim is that he’s the “winningest” coach in the league and ang tingin nila sa’yo is that you’re the coach of this upstart team. Do you feel that there aren’t enough people out there putting you (ability-wise) on the same level as Tim?

FP: Maybe those who followed my career as a college coach would think differently. But when you win all those championships in the PBA, you’ll be in a different league. One thing I can be proud of with this team, though, and I’m not trying to downgrade my players, we have players that we can call unwanted players by other teams. I made sure that I started getting the right materials that can help me help this franchise be successful. Kasi I look at myself right now, I’m just like a chef. If you’re a chef, you’re given ingredients then you try and cook up something that will be appetizing to everybody. So that’s what I’m doing right now.

MH: Are you going to shock kaming mga "experts" again?

FP: It’s going to be a tall order. (San Mig Coffee) has championship experience. They have a very deep bench.

MH: What is Air 21’s biggest advantage over San Mig Coffee?

FP: Probably because we’re hungry. Like I keep on telling my players, we won’t stop believing.