Reyes, Cone look forward to matching wits in finals anew

PBA/Nuki Sabio

Tim Cone and Chot Reyes are good friends, but that won’t get in the way of their desire to beat each other in the Commissioner’s Cup finals.

“I enjoy battling with Chot and there’s no other guy I love to beat more than Chot Reyes,” said Cone, whose B-MEG Llamados will try to wrest the Commissioner’s Cup from Reyes’ defending champion Talk ‘N Text Tropang Texters.

Reyes said their friendship doesn’t play a role in how they are approaching the series.

“We’ve been here a lot of times before. We’re friends, that’s a fact. But we’re also professionals and we both hate to lose,” said Reyes, whose team is seeking its fourth championship in five tournaments.

But while the two coaches won’t be affected, it’s a different story when it comes to their spouses.

“This won’t be hard for me and Chot, but it will be harder for our wives, because both of them work together,” said Cone.

Playing ugly

Both coaches acknowledged the contrast in style of the two teams. Talk ‘N Text is known for its trademark high-octane offense, while B-MEG has bought in to the tough defense that Cone preaches.

“If we can do our thing, particularly on the defensive end, then we have a good chance of winning,” said Cone. “The uglier the game is, the better chance for us to win.”

Reyes noted how Cone’s teams are always dangerous defensively.

“When you think about Tim Cone, the thing that always comes to their mind is the triangle offense. But Tim’s calling card has always been defense. His devotion to defense and his attention to detail are what make him a great coach,” said Reyes.

For the Tropang Texters, Reyes thinks the key will be their offenseive execution in the face of the Llamados defense.

“On our part, it’s about execution and who can make the big shots will win the series. That’s what the finals is all about.”

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