Former and former San Miguel coach Jorge Gallent and Leo Austria during a PBA game. –MARLO CUETO/INQUIRER.net
Leo Austria admitted he barely slept after being returned to his old role as coach of the San Miguel Beermen.
“Nabigla ako (I was surprised),” Austria said after guiding the Beermen to a 106-88 rout of Terrafirma Dyip on Friday that ended a two-game slide for powerhouse San Miguel in the PBA Commissioners Cup at Ninoy Aquino Stadium.
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READ: PBA: Leo Austria returns as San Miguel head coach
However, once everything is figured out, Austria will look to update the team on what management hopes will lead to San Miguel’s return to winning ways, at least for the mid-season conference.
The Friday the 13th triumph allowed the Beermen to move back up to 2-2 and perhaps look forward to better things to come, the same way they did when the team won nine titles under Austria.
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READ: PBA: San Miguel beats Terrafirma on Leo Austria’s return
Austria made no guarantees about how it would attempt to fully resolve the issues that led to the conference’s early woes, nor how it would rotate its players, given its reputation as a no-nonsense person. having a small rotation.
“There’s no level playing field here,” Austria said, referring to his usual way of giving extended minutes to star players. “If you do well on the field, you will get more playing time. But to achieve this, you have to earn a living.
11th hour change
San Miguel Beermen returning coach Leo Austria. –MARLO CUETO/INQUIRER.net
San Miguel decided to change coaches on the eve of the competition, with Austria caught off guard when it was announced at the San Miguel Corp. Christmas party.
“I was called by management and that’s when they asked me if I could coach,” Austria recalled. “I didn’t get enough sleep because there’s a lot of pressure. In the PBA, you can’t take any team for granted.
Austria had ceded its role to Jorge Gallent in the 2023 Governors’ Cup after winning six Philippine Cups as the highlight of its maiden run, but remained a consultant.
But with this decision, Gallent this time loses his consulting role, which he did against Terrafirma while he and Austria sometimes discussed certain adjustments on the sidelines.
“I was already happy as a consultant because there is not much pressure,” Austria said. “This morning we (Gallent and I) were able to chat and it was very casual, and he told me he would be there to support me.
San Miguel also won with new import in Torren Jones, who had 24 points and 13 rebounds replacing Quincy Miller.
June Mar Fajardo had 21 points and 19 rebounds even as CJ Perez scored 16 and Juami Tiongson added 12 in his first game against his former team.
Terrafirma fell to an 0-5 record.
Fajardo, an eight-time MVP, expressed his complete joy at returning to Austria.
“We are all happy that Pops is back. It’s been too long,” Fajardo said. “He’s back, and we won, and we just hope it continues.”
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The San Miguel cornerstone also reached a career milestone as he has now totaled 6,163 total rebounds to dislodge Purefoods legend Alvin Patrimonio for No. 5 on the PBA career list.
