Rank Country Gold Silver Bronze Total
    View Today
    Sun, Nov 5

    'Kontrapelo' Ryan Gregorio bares key to success against Tim Cone

    Former Purefoods coach made sure to be unpredictable in title duels against Cone
    May 30, 2020

    WHO would not be flattered especially if it’s the greatest coach ever in PBA history doing the talking.

    Ryan Gregorio admitted feeling grateful upong hearing Tim Cone cite him as the person he had a tough time matching up against in his three decades of coaching in Asia’s pioneering pro league.

    The record definitely speaks for itself.

    Gregorio practically had Cone’s number during the Purefoods-Alaska wars in the early 2000s, beating him in the finals in 2002 and 2010 respectively, while likewise frustrating the American mentor in a memorable 2006 semifinals series where he led his team back from a huge 1-3 deficit.

    “He was for me the definition of kontrapelo. I really don’t know how or why, but he had my number,” said Cone of Gregorio.

    Told about it, Gregorio, now semi-retired as coach and a top executive at Meralco, said he’s truly humbled.

    “Truth be told, it feels great and humbling at the same time,” Gregorio, a three-time PBA Press Corps Coach of the Year winner, related to SPIN.ph. “To be mentioned by him as one of the coaches he had a tough time matching up against is surreal.”

    The youngest of the Gregorio brothers in Philippine sports said he really did nothing special to earn a winning record against the only person to complete two PBA grand slams.

    Gregorio said he just tried to be unpredictable against the 62-year-old coach who he referred to as a ‘master tactician.’

    “I was not afraid to take the risk and think out of the box,” he said. “I thought it would increase our chances of winning if we created a bit of complexity and unpredictability. Huge risk because if not communicated well, my own players might be the ones who will be confused.”

    ADVERTISEMENT - CONTINUE READING BELOW ↓

    Gregorio’s first ever PBA title came at Cone’s expense during the 2002 Governors Cup. He was an interim coach for Purefoods then, taking over the team in the third conference as head coach Eric Altamirano focused on his role as top deputy to Jong Uichico with the men’s national team bound for the Busan Asian Games.

    CONTINUE READING BELOW ↓
    Watch Now

    But as a young 29-year-old mentor, the former Purefoods video coordinator proved to be a revelation and steered the Hotdogs all the way to the finals behind a team that featured a young, rising big man in Kerby Raymundo and veterans Rey Evangelista, Ronnie Magsanoc, and four-time MVP Alvin Patrimonio, together with a do-it-all import in Derrick Brown.

    During the title series, Gregorio steered the Hotdogs back from a 0-2 deficit and beat Cone’s battle-tested Milkmen in the decisive Game Seven.

    “Odds were stacked against us,” said Gregorio, recalling Purefoods hadn’t won a Game Seven in the history of the franchise until that point. “(Of course) coach Tim has coached in that setting (Game Seven) before, while it was obviously a new territory for me.

    “That conference proved to be very rewarding for the franchise,” he added. “It was truly a memorable journey.”

    Cone would never get his redemption.

    Four years after, Gregorio would win a second league crown for the Hotdogs during the 2006 Philippine Cup, dispatching Red Bull in six games of the finals.

    ADVERTISEMENT - CONTINUE READING BELOW ↓

    But along the way though, Purefoods had to overcome a 1-3 series deficit against Alaska in the semifinals, eventually eliminating the Aces in yet another do-or-die Game Seven.

    “The journey was never smooth. We had to go through some rough patches,” admitted Gregorio, noting the Giants were on a rebuilding process then following the retirement of Patrimonio two seasons earlier, and the emergence of James Yap as the new face of the franchise.

    ADVERTISEMENT - CONTINUE READING BELOW ↓

    Gregorio later capped his dominance of Cone with a knockout punch.

    In the 2010 Philippine Cup, the Giants again squared off with the Aces in the finals, but this time, Gregorio never let Cone in the fight as Purefoods completed a four-game sweep of the title series.

    “It was a humbling experience for me,” said Gregorio, who disclosed his job was on the line had he failed to win the championship.

    He did leave Purefoods after, but on his own terms.

    Gregorio later took his act to Meralco and coached the team in its first five years before stepping down in 2015 to accept an executive job with the firm.

    The Meralco alternate board representative said he wasn’t conscious of the fact that he has a winning history against Cone, one of the only few in the PBA to have that bragging rights.

    “We’ve had memorable battles. But I said it before and I will say it again, in those battles that we had, I never entertained the idea that I would beat Tim Cone,” said Gregorio, who also serves as special assistant to Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (SBP) president Al S. Panlilio. “Otherwise, I would have lost all the time.”

    ADVERTISEMENT - CONTINUE READING BELOW ↓

    And that doesn’t take away too, the fact that Cone is still the GOAT (Greatest of All Time) of PBA coaching, according to Gregorio.

    “I mean, the person is a 22-time PBA champion, From the time we battled in 2002 until now, I consider Tim Cone as the GOAT,” he said,

    “No contest, he is the best.”

    MORE FROM SPIN
    MORE FROM SPIN

      Spin fans unite at Spin Viber Community! Join the growing community now! Complete the experience by subscribing in the Spin Chatbot and download the Spin Game Sticker Pack.

      Get more of the latest sports news & updates on SPIN.ph

      Read Next
      Watch Now
      Sorry, no results found for
    • POLL

      • Quiz

        Quiz Result