Barangay Ginebra head coach Tim Cone looks forward to having Greg Slaughter back in the fold next season as the Gin Kings defend the Philippine Cup title they won for the first time in 13 years.

After helping Ginebra reclaim the Governors’ Cup crown last season and seeing his contract with the team expire, the seven-foot Slaughter took a break from the PBA and left for the United States to train.

“We’re hoping to get Greg back. I think that would be huge for us,” Cone said after Ginebra finished off TNT in 5 games of the best-of-seven All-Filipino finals series.

Without Slaughter, Japeth Aguilar took over the center spot and held the fort for the Gin Kings.

Aguilar averaged 15.6 points, 8.3 rebounds, and 1.4 blocks in 22 games in the conference, ending his campaign with 32 points, 9 rebounds, and 3 steals in the title-clinching Game 5.

Prince Caperal also rose to the occasion for Ginebra and normed 7.8 points on an impressive 42% clip from three-point range to go with 3.9 rebounds.

Cone, though, will not pass up on the possibility of Slaughter returning.

“I would love to have Greg back on the team. That would help Japeth out in terms of giving him a break and we could be a little bit more creative in the way we play. We get Greg back and move forward to the All-Filipino.”

Slaughter, a four-time champion with the Gin Kings, commended his team for clinching another title.

Aside from Slaughter, Cone hopes veterans Mark Caguioa, 41, and Joe Devance, 38, suit up for Ginebra again.

“We’ll see how these guys feel after a couple months and and how they want to build. But I’d like the team to come back intact and find a way to get Greg back on the lineup and and go from there,” Cone said.

“I think that we can still compete for championships if we stay intact and get Greg back in the lineup.” – Rappler.com