PBA All-Star: Tim Cone rues blown lead but happy for fans
Team Japeth coach Tim Cone during the 2024 PBA All-Star Game in Bacolod.–PBA IMAGES
BACOLOD CITY — A rueful Tim Cone left the University of St. La Salle Coliseum after the PBA All-Star Game ended in a 140-140 draw on Sunday night.
“I’m sorry we tied it,” the seasoned coach, who called the shots for a Japeth Aguilar-captained squad, told reporters with a chuckle.
“You know, we were dominating and led it for the whole game and then just got socked in the end.”
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Robert Bolick hit an off-balanced four-point basket despite being fouled by Calvin Oftana to bring the Mark Barroca-skippered crew within one with 17.8 remaining. Bolick went on to hit the freebie to tie the game and give the Ilonggo crowd a moment in basketball history that they will talk about for ages.
“I was kidding Calvin that Robert’s gonna owe him some money from the endorsement he gets for being an All-Star legend,” said Cone.
“[But] that’s what he does, he makes those incredible shots. That’s why he’s an All-Star,” Cone went on.
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Cone acknowledged that his squad fumbled a chance to win the game, but he was also aware of what was at the heart of the midseason festivities that had been going on since 1989.
“[This] leaves us a bit of a sour taste in our mouths because we had the lead for the whole game. [But] the bottom line is that this is for the fans. It was a beautiful game for the fans,” he said.
“It’s a legendary shot,” he said of the NLEX ace’s bucket. “It’s gonna be an All-Star stuff of legends shot. The next 10 All-Star (editions) are gonna talk about that shot,” Cone added.
