Tim Cone. PBA FILE PHOTO/NUKI SABIO
MANILA, Philippines — Purefoods Star head coach Tim Cone on Tuesday blasted the league for using the quotient system in the 2015 PBA Philippine Cup.
Cone said the quotient system is a “bad rule” and “unfair” to the Hotshots, who will have to survive two knockout games to make the semifinals despite having the same record at 6-5 as their quarterfinals opponent due to inferior quotient.
“I’ve been very vocal in the past that I think it’s a great disservice to trams to get knocked out because of quotient,” said Cone after the Hotshots beat the Barako Bull Energy, 99-83, to end their campaign in the elimination round.
“I think it’s a really bad rule. I think it’s a bad setup. I just don’t believe that a team should lose that position whether it be twice-to-beat, straight to the semis or knocked out of the conference because of quotient,” Cone, the only PBA coach to win two Grand Slams, added.
Purefoods will face either Barangay Ginebra San Miguel or Meralco with both teams owning a twice-to-beat advantage against the Hotshots.
The Hotshots took a beating at the hands of the Kings early in the conference. Purefoods beat Meralco in their meeting in the eliminations.
“We lost to Ginebra early in the conference by a big margin when you know we weren’t quite settled,” said Cone.
“The whole idea is to award the best teams and you can’t decide the best teams just by quotient so I just don’t agree with this format at all. I disliked it when it’s favored us and this time it disfavors us. I just think it’s a really bad format,” Cone added. “You should never get knocked out because of quotient because the quotient doesn’t decide who’s better or who’s worse.”
A Globalport victory over Meralco later will pit Purefoods, gunning for a fifth straight championship, against Ginebra. A win by the Bolts will set them up for a quarterfinals date with the Hotshots.
“I hope in the future they change it.”
The league compressed its schedule in anticipation of the national team’s preparations for coming international tournaments next year.
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