After nabbing record 16th title, Tim Cone pays tribute to late Capacio

Mr. Ely Capacio. Photo from PBA website

MANILA, Philippines — This was Tim Cone’s first championship with San Mig Coffee without Ely Capacio to congratulate him.

Cone, just after masterminding the Mixers’ sixth PBA Philippine Cup crown Wednesday night, recalled how Capacio would’ve been the first to greet him for the feat, as he had in the past, if he were still alive.

“After this game, I can’t help but think that we’d be going over to dinner with the big bosses and he’ll be the first one to stand to greet me and give me a big hug and tell me ‘I told you so,'” Cone said.

“He’s one of my greatest supporters over at San Mig and I love him to death,” Cone, who has given San Mig Coffee three titles since taking over, added.

Capacio, who was the Purefoods/San Mig Coffee franchise’s alternate governor, passed away last Sunday at the age of 58 due to a massive stroke, the morning of game five of the best-of-seven finals series.

Capacio, who succeeded Baby Dalupan as Purefoods’ coach in 1991, would’ve also served a second term as PBA chairman next season.

“I wish he’d been here to see this. I know he would’ve been thrilled,” Cone, who surpassed Dalupan as the winningest coach in the league’s history, also said.

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