BARANGAY Ginebra has remained the pro league’s fabulous people’s team because its hordes of fanatics and devotees have always kept their faith until the end.
That, of course, was all to be expected.
But what made Sunday’s title romp by the Alaska team truly memorable and historic was the class act rendered by team owner Wilfred Uytengsu during the midcourt victory celebration.
Before he could utter a single word of praise for his triumphant squad, Uytengsu humbly admitted his admiration for Ginebra. He extolled the toughness and tenacity of the PBA’s most popular team before hailing the resurgent Aces, who had just swept the Gin Kings (3-0) before a record turnout at Smart Araneta Coliseum.
“Wala pa ring tatalo sa Alaska,” swooned the trim and visibly fit Uytengsu, next claiming he felt as young as 24 again with Alaska’s 14th PBA title, the first under a younger bunch of players and a new coach, Luigi Trillo.
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Uytengsu next drove the point that Alaska’s first crown in the post-Tim Cone era felt extra special, truly grand, mainly due to the greatness displayed by the Ginebra squad that they had vanquished.
The truth is that Ginebra did not succeed in pushing Alaska to the limit even once in the title series.
This horrible dip is totally unexpected, considering how Ginebra essayed near-magical escape acts to squeeze through the quarterfinal and semifinal phases of the Commissioner’s Cup series.
Against Alaska, Ginebra hardly looked in serious contention after it had allowed itself to be blown off the court in the first two games of the Finals.
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Anyway, in last Sunday’s title-clinching match, coach Trillo did admit they got befuddled by the unexpected Ginebra zone defense.
“We played to their rhythm, but credit our guys who stayed patient, confident,” Trillo explained to reporters.
If the raging Ginebra offensive had resembled a dam burst, Alaska controlled the onslaught with defensive efficiency. Make that read: quiet defensive efficiency.
After the Gin Kings started to fade rapidly in the last 10 minutes, Alaska roared with a 24-1 salvo.
Alaska matched its unforgiving defense with a sweeping, sweltering offensive.
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Trillo later bared that, with at least two Ginebra mainstays playing hurt, he was sure their fabled rivals would be unable to finish with a big kick.
Could Ginebra have fared better with a healthier lineup?
“In a way, they (Alaska) were lucky, pagod na, my players were already very tired,” said Ginebra coach Alfrancis Chua.
Coach Chua did not mean that as an alibi.
But next time out, Chua can only be expected to work with a squad that could match its offensive sock with the fabled never-say-die defense of the original Ginebra team under the living legend Bobby Jaworski.
Take a bow, Young Alaska!