FOR Ato Agustin, winning a breakthrough Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) title as a full-time coach right in his rookie conference may just come as a bonus.

A more pressing matter lies ahead for him at San Miguel.

For nearly a decade now, the winningest franchise in the 36-year history of Asia’s first ever pro
league has not bagged an All-Filipino championship, a task that could serve as motivating factor forthe Beermen going into their 2010-11 Philippine Cup semifinal series with Barangay Ginebra that kicks off on January 5 at the Araneta Coliseum.

San Miguel’s last conference title without an import came in 2001 when it beat Ginebra in the
Finals, 4-2. So long the drought had been that Agustin was still an active player in his final
season with Red Bull when the Beermen pulled off the feat.

“Medyo matagal-tagal na rin,” said Agustin, a key player of the 1989 San Miguel team that won a Grandslam and later, became the lowest drafted player to win the league’s Most Valuable Player award in 1992.

The Beermen, ranked No. 2 team going into the playoffs, have not seen action since Dec. 19 when they dispatched the Air21 Express, 97-75, in their quarterfinal duel, giving them more than two weeks of rest before they take on a surging Ginebra side still buoyed by their amazing series comeback against the Alaska Aces in the quarters.

Agustin welcomed the long respite for the Beermen, especially since they’ll be up against a
champion franchise handled by a champion coach as well in Jong Uichico.

Ironically, Uichico was still mentor of San Miguel when the team won its last All-Filipino crown.

“We need to be ready. Alam naman natin na malakas na team ang Ginebra,” Agustin noted.

San Miguel won its two head-to-head matchups with Ginebra, the third-ranked team, in the
eliminations, although both games were decided by a single point. The Beermen escaped with a 69-68 victory in their initial meeting after rallying back from as much as a 21-point deficit, and then made it two in a row, 79-78, behind the tip in basket by Jay Washington in the final 13.4 seconds.

Agustin expects the best-of-seven series to be as closely fought as those two thrilling matches.

“Mas mahirap ang laban ngayon. Different level na dahil semifinals na ito,” he said.