The Gin Kings are off to a 2-0 start in the PBA Season 48 Philippine Cup.
As Phoenix ace Tyler Tio continues to rise towards PBA superstardom, he has unsurprisingly gained a superstar fan in coach Tim Cone.
The winningest coach in PBA history revealed he admires Fuel Masters star and what he can do on the court in the aftermath of Ginebra’s 102-92 win over Phoenix in the PBA Season 48 Philippine Cup on Sunday, March 10.
“I’m a big fan of Tyler Tio,” said Cone after the match at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
In Sunday's match, though, Tio was not on the court.
This was why, according to Cone, the Gin Kings were able to claim the win and race off to a 2-0 start in the All-Filipino Conference.
Tio is still nursing a left ankle sprain he sustained in their 124-120 loss to NorthPort in the opener last Friday, March 8.
“One thing that really helped us out is that Tyler Tio didn’t play today,” said Cone, a winner of a Grand Slam twice with Alaska (now Converge) and San Mig Coffee (now Magnolia).
“They’re a different team without Tyler. He keeps everything under control. They don’t panic when things start going bad.”
Indeed, Phoenix struggled to steady the ship and keep in step with the Gin Kings, who sizzled from deep en route to the win. Ginebra tallied 16 triples, including four from birthday boy Ralph Cu who finished with 12 points and two boards.
Cone and the Gin Kings, though, will now shift their focus on their upcoming battle against Meralco on Friday. Gametime is set at 7:30pm at thesame venue.