MANILA, Philippines – As fate would have it, the coach Marqus Blakely helped win a rare PBA Grand Slam denied him from reaching the playoffs for the first time. 

Blakely will go on an early vacation this time as his TNT KaTropa succumbed to a 93-112 loss to his former mentor Tim Cone and the Barangay Ginebra in the Governors’ Cup on Sunday, November 4. 

A win would have put the KaTropa into a playoff for the last quarterfinals berth against Meralco, but Cone and the Gin Kings proved to be the mightier squad to come away with the dominant victory. 

“I really don’t know how I feel just yet,” the 30-year-old import told reporters after the game when asked how he felt about losing to Cone.

It’s understandable, though, since he and the league’s winningest tactician fought together in multiple memorable battles back when they were with the Purefoods franchise. 

Under Cone, Blakely won two PBA championships, most notably the 2014 Governors’ Cup title triumph that secured a historic grand slam for the San Mig Coffee Mixers, which is now known as the Magnolia Hotshots. 

But love wasn’t lost between the two. 

“I have so many many fond memories of Marqus and how he turned around our program at that time,” said Cone, who shared that the game was the first time he saw Blakely since their Grand Slam days.

“I just told him, ‘Sorry it had to be us.’ I told him before the game that I missed him, I missed having him around. We used to have great conversations. We talked a lot and we’re very close during those years in Purefoods.” 

Blakely echoed Cone’s sentiments. 

“I miss him, too,” he said with a hearty laugh. 

For now, the former Best Import looks forward to returning to the PBA. 

“It’s not my choice but hopefully, I’ll be back. Which team, I don’t know where. I’ll always love to come back and play in the PBA.” – Rappler.com