Chua takes over Ginebra

After a dismal Philippine Cup, crowd-darling Barangay Ginebra will have a new coach in Alfrancis Chua when the PBA’s second jewel for the season—the Commissioner’s Cup—blasts off in early February.

Management demoted Siot Tanquingcen to assistant coach status over the holidays following the Gin Kings’ 6-8 record in the ongoing Philippine Cup.  It marked the second time that Tanquingcen has been demoted.

Near the end of the 2010 season, Tanquingcen was also pulled out and reinserted into the San Miguel Beer bench before being eventually fired in lieu of Ato Agustin and finding a place at Barangay Ginebra as a co-coach of the multititled Jong Uichico.

Ginebra will thus be Chua’s third team in the PBA.  The former Santo Tomas Glowing Goldie in the UAAP also called the shots for Tanduay Rhum in the PBA before finding a home with Sta. Lucia.

Both teams have disbanded, with Tanduay blowing its best chance of winning a PBA title in 1999 when it lost to Shell, 4-0, in the All-Filipino Finals.

That conference was the maiden event for the Rhum Masters, bannered by a core that was made up of disgraced Fil-American Sonny Alvarado, Eric Menk and Jeffrey Cariaso.