Santos vouches for Austria: ‘Greatest’ Beermen coach ever

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Before being dealt at NorthPort, Arwind Santos (right) spent most of his career as a member of Leo Austria’s “Death Five”. – PBA PICTURES

From afar, Arwind Santos watches the new era of San Miguel Beer.

An integral cog in the club’s many Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) championships in the past, Santos became sentimental over the appointment of former coach Leo Austria to a hands-off role.

“I’m sad for coach Leo. For me, it’s not time for him to move on,” the NorthPort veteran told the Inquirer in Filipino. “First of all, they’re going to be the all-Philippines champions. If it’s three conferences and they don’t win one, [the move] it must make sense.”

Austria requested a sabbatical for personal reasons, according to team manager Gee Abanilla. The nine-time champion coach’s son, Bacon, wrote on Twitter that “people can’t take their statements seriously. Scrambling for imaginary excuses,” fueling speculation that the seasoned mentor was removed from the club’s leadership.

Santos, who spent San Miguel’s most successful year in Austria, said he didn’t know the details of the Beermen’s coaching change, but he also knew certain decisions had to be respected.

Dominant government

But he will continue to advocate for the Austrian, who is considered the highest among all coaches in charge of the franchise.

“Coach Leo is one of the few who gave San Miguel quite a record in the history of coaching,” he said. “If anyone asks who is the best coach for San Miguel? It’s coach Leo.”

Austria’s run with the Beermen featured a dominant five-year reign at the league’s centerpiece Philippine Cup, and multiple Coach of the Year trophies.

“If I am done with this game and have coached young people or even my children, if someone comes to me and asks who is the greatest coach in San Miguel, it is coach Leo. And the strongest lineup – us, Pati Lima [of June Mar Fajardo, Marcio Lassiter, Chris Ross and Alex Cabagnot].”

“I will always be proud to say that,” he said.

While San Miguel navigates its Governor’s Cup with a new coach, TNT and Phoenix-two clubs that will figure in the double-header nightcap on Wednesday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum in Cubao, Quezon City.

Focus on Gilas

Jojo Lastimosa, former manager of the Tropang Giga team, will endorse perennial contenders who look good with Chot Reyes focused on his Gilas Pilipinas duties.

Jamike Jarin, meanwhile, will direct the new-look Master Fuel, which he will now rebuild following his departure from Topex Robinson.

It also locked horns in the Big Dome Blackwater and NLEX, which is said to be all-Filipino for a time as the original import Jonathon Simmons decided to instead entertain the offer of a pro club in China.

Simmons is supposed to be the marquee attraction in the PBA Governors Cup.

Currently, the only concern that NLEX is importing is due to its availability. Will he show up or not for the Road Warriors in their tournament debut on Wednesday?

Blackwater coach Ariel Vanguardia didn’t wait for an answer.

“We will try and contain it [NLEX’s] import, anyone,” said Vanguardia. INQ