BACOLOD - From first-time PBA champion coach to first-time PBA All Stars tactician.
That's the road Jorge Gallent is taking as he calls the shots for Team Mark in the centerpiece All Star Game on Sunday just 39 days after scoring his PBA coaching breakthrough via San Miguel Beer's Commissioner's Cup conquest last Feb. 14.
"It's a really great blessing for me at the start of the year. Just hope it continues like that," said Gallent in Thursday's presscon with skippers Mark Barroca and Japeth Aguilar, Bacolod Mayor Albee Benitez, PBA Commissioner Willie Marcial and PBA deputy commissioner Eric Castro.
"After winning the championship, I'm coaching the All Star game (so I'm) very happy about it. I would like to thank the fans for bringing me here. We will try to win the game and try to be competitive on Sunday," he added.
Things happened quickly for the grateful Gallent, who had struck gold in only his second conference as chief strategist for SMB. A long-time assistant, he was promoted vice his boss Leo Austria in January 2023 at the start of the Season 47 Governors' Cup.
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His All Stars debut was sealed by the fans no less who voted the multi-titled Tim Cone and him for the jobs.
"Kinda imagined (coaching in the PBA All Stars) but not right away. I was expecting it a year, two years more but it came early. So super, very happy," said Gallent, who gave up some golf time for this All Star gig presented by Arena Plus. (OL)
