Chot-Tim rivalry: A matter of legacy

(UPDATE) WHAT started out as a mentor-mentee relationship early on in their PBA coaching careers has now developed into a coaching rivalry.

Of course, we're talking about Barangay Ginebra's Tim Cone and TNT's Chot Reyes.

Cone started out his PBA coaching career with Alaska in 1989, with Reyes serving as one of his assistants back then.

Two years later, the American coach steered Alaska to the 1991 Third Conference championship, in what would serve as the first of the many PBA titles he would later win, in his coaching career.

Reyes, a budding coach, eventually left Cone's shelter and went on to build his own coaching career, moving on to coach Coney Island (now Magnolia) in 1993, where he would go on to steer the Purefoods franchise to the All-Filipino championship right in his rookie season as head bench tactician.

More than three decades have passed. Cone is now the all-time winningest PBA coach in history with 25 league crowns and counting.

On the other hand, Reyes has won 10 PBA crowns, including six PBA Coach of the Year awards.

For the outspoken Reyes, the coming Ginebra-TNT championship series for the PBA Season 49 Commissioner's Cup is not just about mere rivlary in the pro league anymore.

"I think the more important thing is the legacy that we leave," said Reyes, during the pre-Finals press conference held at the Kamay Kainan in Quezon City.

"Hopefully, we're two coaches who are not only coaching for the victory of our respective teams but to really leave a mark and a legacy on Philippine coaching," he stressed.

"And at the end, when all of this is said and done, hopefully that's something that we can both be proud of."

Undoubtedly, both coaches are noted for their solid game preparation, attention to detail and ability to draw the best out of their respective players.

But then again, no matter how high the intensity will reach come the Finals, which begins this Friday at the SM Mall of Asia Arena, Cone said he and Reyes will always remain friends.

"You know, we're friends, but we also know we're competitors. And we like to compete," said Cone, who will be gunning for his eighth PBA championship with Ginebra and a precedent-smashing 26th overall as head coach.

"And I think, you know, irrespective of the teams we coach, we've always had great respect and really come out and compete with each other. It doesn't change through the years," he added.

Reyes steered TNT back to the Finals following his team's 4-1 semifinal series win against Rain or Shine.

On the other hand, Ginebra dominated topseed NorthPort in five games in their own semifinal series.

The 60-year-old Reyes holds a 4-3 edge in their head-to-head coaching duel in the Finals since leading TNT past Ginebra, 4-2, in the Governors' Cup last November.