MANILA, Philippines - The duel between a multi-titled seasoned coach and a mentor who has yet to cut his teeth on the highly competitive finale adds a subplot to the PBA Philippine Cup finals beginning Saturday in Victorias, Negros Occidental.

But in the end, the championship will be won or lost by the men in jerseys.

Talk n Text’s Chot Reyes has a storied coaching experience on his side but San Miguel’s Ato Agustin is a veteran of several title playoffs as a player and has brilliant court leaders at his disposal in Olsen Racela and Alex Cabagnot.

That should make the coaching duel in the keenly awaited SMB-TnT title series practically even.

“But this series will be won by the players,” Reyes, chasing a sixth title, insisted.

“(Coaching) experience will count a little. I was in his (Agustin’s) situation before, and I relished that. I was the rookie and the other coach had not seen me yet. I had the advantage of unpredictability,” said Reyes, recalling his own Cinderella feat with Coney Island in 1993.

“Secondly, San Miguel has so many coaches on the floor. There are Olsen (Racela), Dondon (Hontiveros) and (Alex) Cabagnot,” Reyes added.

“I must admit I’m inexperienced but I have talented players in my team. I think all I have to do is to motivate them and they will be there fighting,” said Agustin, seeking to duplicate his exploits in the NCAA and in the PBL. “I’ll do my homework.”

The Beermen have full trust and confidence on their rookie coach.

“He (Agustin) may be inexperienced in years but appears to be so experienced on the way he coaches. He’s calm and collected,” said Racela.

“He handles the team well,” said Hontiveros.

Agustin, a former league MVP and among the league’s 25 greatest players of all time, is out to duplicate the feat of Reyes and eight other coaches, winning a championship right in their first PBA tournament.

If ever, Agustin will join Robert Jaworski, Ramon Fernandez, Norman Black, Ely Capacio, Joel Banal and Rino Salazar in an elite group of personalities who have won titles in the PBA as a player and as a coach.

Agustin, a former Lyceum Pirate, won championships as a player with San Miguel Beer and Red Bull.

Meanwhile, PBA commissioner Chito Salud said they’re pruning down to eight the pool of referees who will call the shots in the finals.

“We owe it to the teams and the fans,” said Salud hoping of the best officiating possible in the series.

“There’s no change in policy. The refs will be non-factor. The players will decide the outcome of the series,” Salud added.

Nelson Beltran, Philippine Star