Be it as coach or cager, Siot knows how to become a role player

So many speculations. So many nasty rumors. Yet, coach Siot Tanquingcen remains unperturbed. “A lot of people want me to be replaced as coach," Tanquingcen told GMANews.TV. “But I’m doing the best I can and even willing to sacrifice whatever is best for the team." Tanquingcen did exactly just that. “Players make sacrifices. I told them that it’s not easy to give everyone of them 20 to 25 minutes of playing time per game. We just have to sacrifice. I believe coaches, too, can sacrifice, so I’m willing to do that as long as it’s the best way for the team to win," said Tanquingcen. "It may not be the best of the ideas, but it somehow helped us in some stretches." Tanquingcen was asked to take the back seat and let his assistant coaches call the shots for the San Miguel Beermen in several games of the Fiesta Cup. First to be tested was Ato Agustin, who just joined the Beermen in the Fiesta Cup. Already an achiever in his young coaching career with the San Sebastian Stags, a team which he led to championships in the NCAA, the PBL and other collegiate leagues, Agustin was delegated to handle the Beermen for a few games in the elimination round.

When Tanquingcen led the Beermen all the way to the finals, the coaching shuffle was again implemented when the team trailed, 1-3, in the best-of-seven championship series. This time, it was Gee Abanilla, a long-time assistant coach of several great coaches that included Derick and Franz Pumaren and Yeng Guiao, was tapped to handle the Beermen in Games 5 and 6. For awhile, it worked for San Miguel, which survived the fifth game, 96-94, with Abanilla at the helm. But the more experienced Tim Cone and his determined Alaska Aces sent the Beermen back to reality and dethroned the reigning champs in Game 6 with a clinical 102-88 triumph. Now that the series – and the season – is over, many are anticipating Tanquingcen is headed to another team and will be replaced, possibly by a coach within the SMC group. Worse, others were spreading rumors the young mentor has already tendered his resignation, a thing which was squelched immediately by the three-time PBA champion. “It’s not true that I have resigned. I will not do that with San Miguel. Let me put it this way. When I came here and joined the coaching staff, I didn't expect the head coaching post will be given to me. Surprisingly, I just found myself as head coach of Ginebra and then eventually, San Miguel," said Tanquingcen, who served as a long-time assistant coach of Jong Uichico. “The management gave me the opportunity and once they ask me to do things such as giving opportunity to the other members of the coaching staff, then I am willing to do just that," he added. How long will this new coaching trend continue or how new things develop in the off season will be interesting to see. But for Tanquingcen, he doesn’t mind if he will continue to play the familiar character of a role player. - GMANews.TV