Coach of Year, top defensive player to be feted by PBA Press Corps

MANILA, Philippines — Champion coaches in the 2012-2013 PBA season dispute the Coach of the Year award on Tuesday, the highlight of the  PBA Press Corps’ awards night dubbed the “A Banquet of Heroes.”

Rookie coach Luigi Trillo, who steered Alaska to the Commissioner’s Cup title in the last PBA Season, is up against multi-titled mentors Norman Black of Talk ‘N Text and Tim Cone of San Mig Coffee for the award.

Black, meanwhile, piloted the Tropang Texters to a third straight conquest of the Philippine Cup, while Cone guided the Mixers to the Governors’ Cup title.

The Coach of the Year award is just one of the citations to be given by the PBAPC on “A Banquet of Heroes” program at Wack Wack Country Club where the league’s top performers will be feted.

Also up for grabs is the Executive of the Year trophy, and other awards that the league does not give like the Defensive Player of the Year, the Comeback Player of the Year, and the All-Rookie Team.

The Press Corps will also recognize the PBA’s Scoring Champ, the player who had the biggest point production average in the recent season, and the Accel Order of Merit winner for the player who won the Player of the Week award the most times.

Members of the 1973 and 1986 champion Asian Basketball Confederation teams have been invited as guests of honor in the proceedings scheduled at 7 p.m. at Banquet B.