Siot Tanquincen

Berthune "Siot" Tanquincen is a Filipino professional basketball head coach of the San Miguel Beermen in the Philippine Basketball Association. Prior to his current role, he was former player for the UST Growling Tigers in the UAAP, the San Miguel Beermen in the PBA and the Pampanga Dragons in the Metropolitan Basketball Association. Tanquincen led Ginebra to two PBA titles as its head coach from 2004-2006.

He was demoted to assistant coach prior to the start of the season to give way to the arrival of Jong Uichico.

Basketball career

Tanquincen was one of the role players for the UST Tigers in their historic four-peat from 1993-1996 under head coach Aric Del Rosario. Other members of the said squad were Chris Cantonjos, Estong Ballesteros, Rey Evangelista, Dennis Espino and Bal David.

He also played for the San Miguel Beermen from 1997-1998 as a 12th man for the team. In 1999, he joined his former UST mentor Del Rosario in the MBA's Pampanga Dragons, usually as its starting point guard.

Coaching career

an Miguel under Jong Uichico

After his stint with the Dragons, Tanquincen became the assistant coach of the San Miguel Beermen under Jong Uichico. In 2002, Tanquincen was the team's interim coach with Uichico tasked to lead the Philippine national basketball team in the 2002 Asian Games. Despite a limited lineup of Dorian Pena, Boybits Victoria and imports Lamont Strothers, Art Long, Shea Seals and Terquin Mott, he coached the Beermen to a respectable fourth place finish in the Governors Cup and finished third in the Commissioners Cup.

Barangay Ginebra Kings as head coach: 2004-2006

Tanquincen would return to his assistant duties for the next two seasons. However, midway through the 2004 PBA Fiesta Conference, Barangay Ginebra mentor Allan Caidic was relegated as team manager and hired Tanquincen from its sister team as its new head coach.

The change led to changes in the Ginebra system, as Tanquincen used more of Jayjay Helterbrand on the point guard spot instead of the inconsistent and injured Bal David. This and other changes led to the Kings' improbable championship in the said conference, defeating Red Bull Barako, 3-1.

In the 2004-05 Philippine Cup, Tanquincen once again led the crowd-favorites to its first back-to-back title in franchise history after defeating the Talk 'N Text Phone Pals in six games.

2006-07 Philippine Cup: Demotion and Move to Interim Coach

During the 2006 offseason, Jong Uichico was named as the new head coach of the Barangay Ginebra Kings, after a big overhaul by almost all of the four PBA teams of San Miguel Corporation. Tanquincen, however, was demoted as Uichico's assistant, reprising the role he had with the Beermen.

Despite the limited role, Tanquincen is normally spotted mapping out offensive sets for the Kings during timeouts as Uichico looks on. The Kings would eventually won the Philippine Cup as an assistant defeating sister company, the Beermen after winning the last four games following a 0-2 hole.

2007: San Miguel's coach

In the 2007 PBA Fiesta Conference, Tanquincen was sent back to San Miguel as an interim coach for Chot Reyes, who focused his role as head of the Philippine national basketball team. At the time Tanquincen was named head coach, San Miguel struggled with a 0-6 record, and eventually posted a 1-7 card.

But, the Beermen began a surprise run in the tournament, that began with an eight-game winning streak, before finishing with a 10-8 record, and a wild-card appearance.

In a wildcard match against the Coca-Cola Tigers for the final quarterfinals berth, San Miguel won a 102-101 miracle score despite trailing by four points with only 13 seconds left.

Their run continued in the quarterfinals, scoring an upset against his former team, Barangay Ginebra, in the best-of-three series before falling to eventual champion Alaska Aces in a grueling six-game tussle.

Tanquincen remains to be the head coach of San Miguel.

ee also

* Barangay Ginebra Kings
* UST Growling Tigers

External links

* [http://www.pba.ph PBA.ph]