Not only is the series between the fiercest of corporate rivals—the flagship teams of business tycoons Ramon Ang and Manny Pangilinan—it also involves the players on the court and off the bench, and even the ballclubs’ respective main tacticians.

Little has been said about the battle of the coaches.

Chot Reyes, known for his disciplined, precise, and tactile approach, versus Ato Agustin, the epitome of the “players’ coach”—the kind that any player would truly love to play for, who gets his players’ confidence high, who shows nothing but belief in his men every step of the way.
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In case you haven’t heard, Ato Agustin’s rise to fame in the coaching ranks is something for the books, similar to his playing style back in his MVP year in the PBA. He struck like an atom bomb, just when you least expected it.

He came to the bench of the San Sebastian Stags in the NCAA in 2009. A virtual unknown from the sidelines, he commanded the players’ respect off the bat. Agustin and the Stags shocked the basketball world by snatching the title in his rookie year, a storybook Cinderella run capped by its dethronement of San Beda in the finals.

Now Agustin brings his “rookie luck” with him to San Miguel. What makes him click is his relationship with his players, some of whom were his teammates in the tailend of his own PBA playing career.

He connects with the veterans, and gets the respect of his young players. His rah-rah style of motivation and determination rubs on to the players like a virus to the weak. But the question is, how long will this “honeymoon stage” last for Agustin and the players.

The rah-rah style was never better personified than by his veteran point guard, who had to rev up his team in front of packed a Araneta Coliseum.

The PBA gave Olsen Racela some sort of a “send-off” moment as he announced this was his swan-song series. He begged his teammates to give their all. And respond the team did. He rejuvenated the game of Danny Ildefonso and the rest as San Miguel tied the series at 2 games apiece.

On the other end of the court, you have Reyes, a veteran of many wars. He knows a best-of-seven series like the back of his hand. He knows his team couldn’t just run roughshod over San Miguel and simply railroad its way to the title.

Reyes’ work ethic and “never leaving a stone unturned” kind of preparation is something. And the players on the Talk ’N Text lineup, like the point guards Jason Castro and Ryan Reyes, couldn’t fit better in the system that their coach runs.
Chot’s full control of the tempo and the game is like a kid’s on a video game console.

Given these factors and intrinsic differences in coaching style, who has the edge?
I’d give the advantage to Reyes. The battles and titles under his belt are something an opposing coach cannot take for granted, especially if this series goes down the wire. And as endgames get close, as they have been, the pressure will mount, and the one who has stood the test of time will be the least likely to crack.

Can Chot’s boys play as well as the inspired bunch of San Miguel under their rookie coach?
This series boils down now to a short and sweet best-of-three. He who gets the first solid jab will eventually look good. If there’s one series you shouldn’t be missing in the last few years in the PBA, it’s this one.

Tommy Manotoc, Phil. Daily Inquirer