Tim Cone has Ginebra’s number

Tim Cone and Ginebra have been in countless battles throughout the years with the PBA’s winningest coach often on the winning side of it. PBA PHOTO

If there’s one coach who has been a thorn on the side of Ginebra for the longest time, it must be Tim Cone.

From his days in Alaska to his stint in the sidelines for the Purefoods franchise, the two-time Grand Slam-winning coach has always owned Ginebra’s number.

And now that Ginebra wants to climb back to relevance, the Kings have dialed Cone’s number.

According to PBA head statistician Fidel Mangonon, since taking the Purefoods job in the 2011-12 season, Cone has been 17-9 against the Gin Kings.

He also won his first title in the PBA against the crowd favorites, leading Alaska to a 3-1 series win in the 1991 Third Conference.

It was also at the expense of Ginebra when Cone sealed his first Grand Slam, thumping the Gin Kings via a 4-1 victory in the 1996 Governors’ Cup.

The most recent series between the two also went in favor of Cone, as San Mig Coffee beat Ginebra in their 2013 Philippine Cup semifinals duel in seven games.

In a prior interview, Cone said that he relishes every chance to go up against Ginebra.

“I love it. I don’t have to fire up my players because when we face Ginebra, they know that it’s going to be a really big game,” he said.

However, if reports of him going to the side of the Gin Kings prove to be true, it will really be an interesting sight to see one of Ginebra’s longtime tormentors call the shots for the crowd darlings.