Photo by Mark Giongco/INQUIRER.net
MANILA, Philippines—Just five days after completing another historic and arduous journey, San Miguel Beer will be off to embark on a new one.
Following a Philippine Cup five-peat, the Beermen aim to regain the Commissioner’s Cup crown and winning it will also make them in play to finally complete a Grand Slam.
“Isa lang hiling ko sa inyo, isang Grand Slam lang,” said San Miguel Brewery president Bobby Huang during the team’s victory party at San Miguel Corporation headquarters in Mandaluyong.
(I only have one wish for the team and that’s to win a Grand Slam.)
The Grand Slam is the only accolade left to be accomplished by this era of Beermen or since Leo Austria took over as head coach in 2014.
The closest Austria and company came to winning the elusive Grand Slam was during the 2017 PBA Season where they ruled the first two conference before losing to Barangay Ginebra in the Governors’ Cup quarterfinals.
Just like in the previous years, Austria said the team is aware of the possibility of pulling off the tough feat which has only happened five times in the history of the league. San Miguel is one of only four teams to do it back in 1989.
He also said his team is equipped to achieve it as long as the players will work together for it.
Austria and the rest of the Beermen, though, would rather focus on what’s next which is their campaign in the Commissioner’s Cup.
“We’re not thinking about that. We still need to win our first game, second game, third game until we win another championship in the second conference before we think about the third conference. But it’s really not going to be easy,” said Austria, who is ecstatic to have Charles Rhodes back.
Rhodes led SMB to a Commissioner’s Cup championship two seasons ago.
San Miguel takes on NorthPort on June 5 in its first game of the conference.