The man behind another Barangay Ginebra title romp in the PBA Governors’ Cup will be recognized with one of the major honors in the 2022 PBA Press Corps Awards Night tomorrow at the Novotel Manila Araneta Center.
Team governor Alfrancis Chua is the recipient of the season’s Danny Floro Executive of the Year following the work he did with the Kings during the recently concluded Season 46, which saw the franchise win the import-laden conference for the fourth time in the last five years.
This marks the second time the Ginebra executive will receive the award named after the late amiable Crispa Redmanizers team manager and owner Danny Floro.
Chua, who is also San Miguel Corporation sports director, first won the plum in 2018.
He now joins the likes of SMC president and chief executive officer Ramon S. Ang, First Pacific Company Ltd. managing director and chief executive officer Manny V. Pangilinan, current PBA chairman Ricky Vargas, Alaska team owner Wilfred Uytengsu, the late commissioner Jun Bernardino, and former RFM franchise team manager Elmer Yanga as among the two-time recipients of the award handed out by the men and women regularly covering the PBA beat.
Hampered by injuries to key players Joe Devance, Aljon Mariano, Jared Dillinger, and later on Japeth Aguilar, the Kings found their title retention bid in jeopardy after ending up seeded no. 6 heading to the playoffs of the season-ending meet.
But behind Best Import Justin Brownlee and emerging star and Best Player of the Conference Scottie Thompson, the Kings thrived on and overcame twice-to-beat and reigning Philippine Cup champion TNT in the quarterfinals, before defeating NLEX in the semis to advance in the best-of-seven title series.
The consensus underdogs against the souped-up Meralco Bolts, the Kings again defied the odds and beat their long-time nemesis, 4-2, to keep their stranglehold of the conference they first won in 2016.
Chua joins the season’s honor roll along with Arwind Santos (Defensive Player of the Year), June Mar Fajardo (Comeback Player of the Year), Allein Maliksi (Quality Minutes), Mikey Williams (Scoring Champion), Joshua Munzon, Jamie Malonzo, Calvin Oftana, Williams, and Santi Santillan (All-Rookie Team), the quartet of Williams, Ian Sangalang, Robert Bolick, and Matthew Wright (Order of Merit) and teams San Miguel and NorthPort (Game of the Season).
The choice for the Virgilio ‘Baby’ Dalupan Coach of the Year is yet to be announced, with champion mentors Chot Reyes of TNT and Tim Cone of Barangay Ginebra contending for the award.