Asean Basketball League champions San Miguel Beermen: The Roller-Coaster Redemption

I first started becoming a coliseum announcer (barker) in 2003 on the invitation of the then Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) marketing chief (now Antipolo Congressman) Robbie Puno. For a good two years I was splitting duties being the game barker and being a radio broadcaster and I got so used to it that I’ve had the opportunity to work two FIBA-Asia Champions Cup tournaments—in two different countries—because of it. Although it is a foregone conclusion that I will be working my first ever FIBA-Asia Championship this August, being the coliseum announcer for the San Miguel Beermen’s home games in the recently concluded Asean Basketball League (ABL) has helped keep me sharp for that upcoming biennial hoops meet.

Having said that, I also had probably the best seat in the house to witness the ups and downs of this sophomore franchise in its attempt not only to uphold its winning tradition that began in the PBA, but also to redeem a title they felt was rightfully theirs after having surrendered it on home turf last year. I was at the Ynares Sports Complex in Pasig City last June 30, 2012 when the upstart Indonesia Warriors completed their Philippine conquest by defeating the Beermen in the Finals and the Air Asia Philippine Patriots before that in the semifinals. I remember announcing the congratulatory remark for the visitors even if my stomach was about to turn and caught my final glimpse of then Head Coach Bobby Parks waving to the crowd before slowly walking back into the dugout.

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It was the last time I would see him alive. Exactly nine months later, Parks would succumb to complications from his long battle against laryngeal cancer.

The 2013 ABL season had already started when he passed. The Beermen—now the only team playing out of the Philippines with the departure of the Patriots for the PBA—had just collated a slate of three wins and three losses (including an improbable defeat at the hands of the lowly Saigon Heat) and was struggling to keep in step with the other teams.

Armed with a new battlecry based on Parks’ (@begud22) last transmission on Twitter®, the Beermen came out with black shirts that read “Let’s go Beermen” and used it as motivation to win for their fallen former mentor. And even if there were two changes in their imports selections (Gabe Freeman was replaced by Matt Rogers who was later on replaced by Justin Williams), the team went on a league-record sixteen straight triumphs; capped by that character-building triple overtime victory against the Malaysia Dragons to end the regular season with a 19-3 win-loss card and looked to be unbeatable. Destiny was theirs.

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Well, disaster struck immediately in Game One of their Best-of-Five semis series against the Thailand Slammers; a squad the Beermen spanked by double-figures in all its previous meetings in the regular season. Thai national Darongpan Apiromvilaichai (believe me, I’ll remember his name from now on), hit the game winner at Ynares Center in Antipolo threatening to pull the biggest upset in league history by taking away San Miguel’s hard-earned homecourt advantage. San Mig Coffee Head Coach Tim Cone—who was working the game as a television analyst—told me, “Don’t worry, they’ll win the next three,” to which ABL Chief Executive Officer Anthony Macri, who was within an earshot of Cone’s remark, whispered to me, “They’d better.”

True enough not even the charisma of Slammers Head Coach Joe “Jellybean” Bryant (yes, Kobe’s dad) could prevent the Beermen’s onslaught as they took the next three games by an average of almost twenty points to advance to the Finals, where the defending champion Warriors were already waiting; having dispatched the Dragons via a sweep.

So here they were again.

The Warriors had practically the same line-up with a few improvements here and there led by last year’s Finals MVP in Fil-Am Stanley Pringle and the intimidating Steve Thomas. San Miguel had an almost new roster, but was still led by last year’s regular season MVP Leo Avenido and the newly crowned “rookie” MVP in 40-year-old Asi Taulava. This time, it was a Best-of-Five Finals, but the Beermen didn’t look like they intended to relax against their bitter rivals one bit.

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San Miguel took the title via “Walis-Walis” (as NBA TV analyst Jalen Rose once said), and although the total margin of victory was only a combined eleven points in those three conquests, the Beermen finally found the redemption they sought; both for Bobby Parks and for the winning tradition that the brand had had.

As being indirectly part of that campaign, I view them as a very special team.

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Yes, they had Taulava who played like he was at least a decade younger. They had Avenido, who could still light it up. They finally had a great import duo in Justin and Brian Williams (no relation) as well as the one of the most courageous point guards I’ve ever seen in 24-year-old Chris Banchero, who was eventually named Finals MVP. But it was actually the supporting cast that steeped it up when needed at varying occasions such as the timely sniping of Val Acuña and greenhorn Jeric Fortuna, the presence of the veteran—and former PBA MVP—Eric Menk, the extended role especially defensively of Paulo Hubalde (who took “psyching out the opposing guards” to a whole new level), the silent efficiency of Hans Thiele, the energy of JR Cawaling—who did a great job spelling the injured RJ Rizada in the playoffs—and the coaching staff led by Leo Austria and assisted by Oliver Bunyi, Mac Cuan and Alvin Teng. Team Manager Rico Meneses also did everything in his power to ensure that the team was focused and prepared, while Team Official Noli Eala—being around basketball in almost all fronts before—knew how to help formulate that right combination of A-Listers and utility crew and now adds another proud moment to the franchise.

Whether or not the squad goes on to represent the Philippines in this year’s FIBA-Asia Champions Cup will be icing on the cake, but they would be the perfect contingent for the task because of their unbridled camaraderie, belief in each other and desire to win. The heart they displayed all throughout was exceptional.

This group of men may not be together again next year when the Beermen go for their first title-defense, but this magical season that saw records fall, expectations shattered and results attained will go down as one of the most memorable by any Philippine team in the ABL, and even perhaps by any Philippine participation on the international stage. It took a special group of men to achieve redemption, albeit the roller-coaster.

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Congratulations to the San Miguel Beermen, and may I lose my voice helping you win all your home games again soon. Now, take that vacation you guys said you wouldn’t think about until the season ended. Mabuhay kayo.

Follow Noel Zarate on Twitter (@NoelZarate)