By JONAS TERRADO
Joe Devance could tie a former teammate for most championships by an active player while LA Tenorio is eyeing his first trophy outside of an import-laden conference in the PBA Philippine Cup Finals between Barangay Ginebra San Miguel and TNT which started last night.
Devance is going for an 11th title which will equal the active mark currently held by Magnolia center Rafi Reavis even as Tenorio aims to finally claim the league’s crown jewel aside from the five trophies he won with Alaska and Ginebra.
All of Devance’s title victories with his current team, San Mig Super Coffee/B-Meg, and Alaska have come under Ginebra coach Tim Cone.
Cone was also in charge when Tenorio bagged his first title while suiting up for Alaska in the 2010 Fiesta Conference.
Their Ginebra teammate Mark Caguioa shoots for an eighth crown and a third Philippine Cup, albeit in a reduced role. Caguioa played the starring role when Ginebra captured the 2004-05 and 2006-07 editions of the PBA’s most important conference.
TNT’s Harvey Carey hopes to go full circle and win the Philippine Cup in what could possibly be his last season. Carey was a rookie when TNT scored a breakthrough championship in the 2003 All-Filipino, beating Coca-Cola in six games.
Tropang Giga captain Jayson Castro shoots for a seventh title and a first since the 2015 Commissioner’s Cup. The national team veteran has also helped the franchise win four Philippine Cups, including a three-peat from 2011 to 2013.
Getting a chance to hold the Jun Bernardino Perpetual Trophy is something that motivates the current stars in the best-of-seven affair.
Ginebra’s Scottie Thompson, Stanley Pringle, and Japeth Aguilar and TNT’s RR Pogoy and Troy Rosario looks for their first, so is Tropang Giga star Ray Parks Jr. who is actually playing his first All-Filipino tourney.
Thompson and Aguilar fell short in their first Philippine Cup Finals appearance when Ginebra to San Miguel 4-1 in 2017 while teammate Pringle and TNT’s Pogoy and Rosario are in their first.
