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Toughest series gives Harbour Centre its sweetest crown, too

02/12/2009

Call it destiny.

Groping for words, Harbour Centre owner Mikee Romero can’t think of any reasons other than fate for his franchise’s unprecedented success in the Philippine Basketball League (PBL).

Talented players, a reliable coaching staff and a supportive management may all been factors that contributed to the creation of this modern-day dynasty in the country’s premiere amateur commercial league.

But for Romero, a long-time student of basketball whose passion for the game knows no boundaries, there must have been something into it that makes the Batang Pier truly special.

“There must have been a purpose on why we keep on winning,” said the youthful sportsman/businessman as he watches his team celebrate after bagging the PBL-PG Flex Linoleum Cup title — the latest in a succession of championships Harbour Centre won at the expense of the Magnolia Purewater, 88-73, Tuesday night at The Arena in San Juan.

The Batang Pier wrapped up the best-of-five title series, three games to one.

The crown is the sixth straight in as many finals appearances for the team, making it one of the most dominant franchises ever to play in the 26-year-old league.

It also served as a fitting farewell for the squad as it embarks on a new undertaking on a different level come the next season, the Harbour Centre uniform and banner to be retired for good, according to Romero.

“This would be the last time the Harbour Centre jersey will be worn, in any basketball (leagues), whether in the PBL or the PBA,” said Romero of the multi-titled ball club that spawned the likes of Mac-Mac Cardona, LA Tenorio, Joseph Yeo, Jason Castro, Larry Fonacier, Gabby Espinas, Ronjay Buenafe, Chico Lanete, TY Tang, Solomon Mercado, Jeff Chan, Beau Belga and Chad Alonzo while launching the coaching career of Jorge Gallent and giving Eric Arejola the big break as one of the most respected team manager in the league as he is known today.

“Handling a team is no easy task but it’s challenging,” said Arejola. “And it’s sweet if you win a title, like what we did.”

The sixth and final championship also proved to be the most emotional as far as Romero and the Batang Pier were concerned.

The team had to do it without the benefit of its best player as the contract of Reed Juntilla with Barako Bull had been reactivated in the PBA. The hot-shooting Cebu native was Harbour Centre’s top offensive man, averaging 13.6 points in the first three games of the Finals.

But Benedict Fernandez and Mark Barroca took the scoring cudgels in the absence of Juntilla to power Harbour Centre to its record championship.

“It’s our last and wala ang star player namin... Anyway, it happens. The important thing is that we won the championship,” said Romero.

That the Batang Pier is bound to reach this far dawned on its owner the moment Harbour Centre won a fourth straight title one cold December night last year when it rallied back from as much as a 19-point deficit to stun Hapee Toothpaste in the deciding Game 3 of their title series.