Joe Devance and Tim Cone shared a sentimental moment inside a jubilant Barangay Ginebra San Miguel locker room, both holding the PBA Governors’ Cup championship trophy as they posed for pictures.
For both men, such celebrations have been the norm rather than the exception. Since his entry in the PBA as the top overall pick of the 2007 draft, Devance has won eight championships, all under Cone’s tutelage.
Their run started in the 2010 Fiesta Conference when Alaska beat San Miguel in six games, claimed six titles with B-Meg/San Mig Super Coffee highlighted by Cone’s second career Grand Slam in 2014 before adding two with the league’s most popular ballclub.
“For me, though, it starts with coach Tim. Coach Tim has taught me so much throughout my whole career. He molded me to be the player I am today – even off the court, he’s taught me so much. I’m just truly blessed.
Devance said there’s no secret to having won so many trophies, but being a good teammate had made him reach such mark.
“For me personally, it’s about being a great teammate,” he said. “These guys know I’m not the best three-point shooter, they know I’m not the best dribbler, I’m not the best none of that. But what I’m the best at is I get my teammates better. I’m the best at being a great teammate – and that’s what I really take pride in.”
He showed that during a difficult season that saw him deal with a foot injury since the Philippine Cup. In Game 7, Devance delivered 12 points while doing the tough role of containing Meralco’s Allen Durham, who despite a near triple-double struggled in the first half.
“Durham had like six points and seven rebounds in the first half and we might think that Durham had an off night so we’d give Joe credit for playing him smart on the ball and off the ball,” Cone said. “I thought he was the unheralded hero tonight.”