20 BEST PBA FINALS COACHES OF ALL-TIME | 2025 EDITION | 11 TO 20

The PBA is now celebrating its 50th year. Interestingly, that's about the average age of most head coaches in the league. While there have been coaches younger or older than 50, many fall into that sweet spot where they're either sharp enough to earn players’ respect or bold enough to intimidate even the most seasoned veterans.

Throughout the years, PBA coaches have either faded into obscurity or carved out legendary careers. Some were handed the reins early, while others had to work their way up. If you look at the greatest coaches in league history, they come from all walks of life, but what they share is the undeniable impact they had on their teams.

To mark the PBA’s 50-year milestone, I’ve decided to create a Top 50 Coaches list. I’m not sure how accurate it will be, since I’ll only be working with the information I’ve gathered through my own research.

There have also been quite a few interim coaches over the years, often stepping in after a midseason firing. Naturally, championships will play a big role in the rankings, especially grand slam wins. But I’ll also consider total seasons coached, Coach of the Year honors, midseason appointments, and semifinal appearances. I may adjust this part depending on the availability of information.

Game starts now!

20 | RON JACOBS

TITLE TEAM/S | NORTHERN CONSOLIDATED CEMENT

FINALS W/L RECORD | 3 FINALS APPEARANCES | 1 - 2 | 33% WIN RATE

CHAMPIONSHIP STREAK | 1

INDIVIDUAL AWARDS | HALL OF FAME, COACH OF THE YEAR (1997)

Ron Jacobs is often remembered as the architect who helped reshape Philippine basketball in the 1980s. As the mastermind behind the Northern Consolidated Cement program, he not only developed the national team’s core but also guided NCC to the 1985 PBA Reinforced Conference title. Although the team missed its chance to participate in the FIBA World Cup due to the 1986 EDSA Revolution, NCC's dominance left a lasting legacy. Jacobs would return to the PBA in the 90s with San Miguel, taking the team to the finals twice in 1998. While his PBA record wasn’t stacked with titles, his influence on team building and basketball philosophy remains monumental.

19 | CHITO VICTOLERO

TITLE TEAM/S | MAGNOLIA

FINALS W/L RECORD | 5 FINALS APPEARANCES | 1 - 4 | 20% WIN RATE

CHAMPIONSHIP STREAK | 1

INDIVIDUAL AWARDS | COACH OF THE YEAR (2017-18)

Chito Victolero, once a collegiate standout for Mapua, has carved his own identity in the pro ranks as a fiery and passionate tactician. Often likened to a San Miguel Corp version of Yeng Guiao, he first cut his teeth coaching a struggling Columbian Dyip squad before finding his footing with Magnolia. Under his leadership, the Hotshots consistently became contenders, winning the 2018 Governors’ Cup and making four additional finals appearances. Critics may label his team as “intro boys” for peaking early in conferences, but their sustained competitiveness says otherwise. His 2018 championship season also earned him the PBA Press Corps Coach of the Year honor, proving his system works at the highest level.

18 | ERIC ALTAMIRANO

TITLE TEAM/S | PUREFOODS, MOBILINE

FINALS W/L RECORD | 4 FINALS APPEARANCES | 2 - 2 | 50% WIN RATE

CHAMPIONSHIP STREAK | 1

INDIVIDUAL AWARDS | COACH OF THE YEAR (2017-18)

Though Eric Altamirano barely saw action as a PBA player, his time on the bench gave him a unique perspective that paid off once he transitioned to coaching. He made an immediate splash by leading the Purefoods Corned Beef Cowboys to the 1997 All-Filipino Cup title in his very first conference as head coach. The following year, he guided Mobiline to its first-ever championship by winning the 1998 Centennial Cup. While some downplay that title as a pocket tournament, it laid the groundwork for the franchise’s rise in the early 2000s. Altamirano’s coaching career proved that sometimes, it’s the quiet observers who turn out to be the sharpest minds in the game.

17 | LUIGI TRILLO

TITLE TEAM/S | ALASKA, MERALCO

FINALS W/L RECORD | 2 FINALS APPEARANCES | 2 - 0 | 100% WIN RATE

CHAMPIONSHIP STREAK | 1

INDIVIDUAL AWARDS | COACH OF THE YEAR (2012-13, 2023-24)

With deep roots in the sport and a championship pedigree in his bloodline, Luigi Trillo has quietly built a reputation as one of the PBA’s most strategic minds. As the only coach aside from Tim Cone to win a title for Alaska, his 2013 Commissioner's Cup triumph signaled the start of a promising career. Years later, he made history again by guiding the Meralco Bolts to their first-ever PBA championship in the 2024 Philippine Cup, ending years of heartbreak for the franchise. A two-time Coach of the Year recipient, Trillo even shared his second award with his assistants in a nod to the collaborative effort that helped Norman Black finally earn the same recognition. Trillo’s journey is far from over, and his resume is already looking impressive.

16 | PERRY RONQUILLO

TITLE TEAM/S | SHELL

FINALS W/L RECORD | 4 FINALS APPEARANCES | 2 - 2 | 50% WIN RATE

CHAMPIONSHIP STREAK | 2

INDIVIDUAL AWARDS | COACH OF THE YEAR (1998, 1999)

Perry Ronquillo made the most out of his stint with the Shell franchise, delivering two of the team’s four championships during its entire PBA run. He also brought Shell to four straight finals appearances, an impressive feat considering the major roster changes and the rise of Fil-Am talent during that era. Despite losing key stars, Ronquillo kept the team competitive and even oversaw Benjie Paras’s historic second MVP win, ten years after his first. His back-to-back Coach of the Year honors were a testament to his impact and consistency. Despite Shell's long line of legendary coaches, Ronquillo is easily their greatest coach.

15 | SIOT TANQUINGCEN

TITLE TEAM/S | GINEBRA, SAN MIGUEL

FINALS W/L RECORD | 4 FINALS APPEARANCES | 3 - 1 | 75% WIN RATE

CHAMPIONSHIP STREAK | 2

INDIVIDUAL AWARDS | COACH OF THE YEAR (2004-05)

Though his PBA playing career was brief and unremarkable, Siot Tanquingcen maximized his time on the bench by absorbing knowledge from coaching greats like Ron Jacobs and Jong Uichico. That preparation paid off when he took over Ginebra and led them to back-to-back titles in the 2004 Fiesta Conference and the 2004–05 Philippine Cup. Under his watch, Siot helped restore Ginebra’s winning tradition after a long title drought. Later, he steered the San Miguel Beermen to another championship in the 2009 Fiesta Conference. For his early success, Siot earned the 2005 Coach of the Year award and cemented his place as one of the SMC group’s most reliable bench tacticians.

14 | ED OCAMPO

TITLE TEAM/S | ROYAL, TOYOTA

FINALS W/L RECORD | 5 FINALS APPEARANCES | 4 - 1 | 80% WIN RATE

CHAMPIONSHIP STREAK | 1

INDIVIDUAL AWARDS | HALL OF FAME

Before making his mark as a coach, Ed Ocampo was a decorated player who represented the Philippines in three Olympics and three FIBA Asia championship squads. He etched his name in PBA history by steering San Miguel, then known as Royal Tru-Orange, to its very first championship. In doing so, he made the Orangemen only the second team, after U/Tex, to break through the Crispa-Toyota dominance of the era. Ocampo later became Toyota’s third and final coach, taking over after Fort Acuña was dismissed in the middle of the 1980 All-Filipino Finals, a move that briefly forced team manager Pablo Carlos into interim duties. Under Ocampo’s guidance, the Super Corollas claimed three championships between 1981 and 1982 before he closed his PBA coaching run with Manila Beer. His impact on Philippine basketball was honored with his posthumous induction into the PBA Hall of Fame in 2013.

13 | DERRICK PUMAREN

TITLE TEAM/S | SUNKIST

FINALS W/L RECORD | 7 FINALS APPEARANCES | 2 - 5 | 29% WIN RATE

CHAMPIONSHIP STREAK | 2

INDIVIDUAL AWARDS | COACH OF THE YEAR (1995)

Before carving his own path as a head coach, Derrick Pumaren was Norman Black’s trusted deputy during San Miguel’s 1989 grand slam run, forming one of the most effective coaching tandems in PBA history. When he took over the reins himself, Pumaren made his mark with Sunkist in 1995, nearly pulling off a grand slam by capturing two titles and falling just short in the Governors’ Cup finals. That season, he outdueled Tim Cone’s rising Alaska squad and earned Coach of the Year honors for his efforts. He later guided Purefoods and Talk ’N Text to finals appearances, though his time with Sunkist remained the highlight of his PBA career. While he didn’t have as many rings as his contemporaries, Pumaren’s tactical acumen and ability to maximize talent defined his coaching legacy.

12 | TURO VALENZONA

TITLE TEAM/S | TANDUAY

FINALS W/L RECORD | 7 FINALS APPEARANCES | 3 - 4 | 43% WIN RATE

CHAMPIONSHIP STREAK | 2

INDIVIDUAL AWARDS | NONE

Turo Valenzona is widely regarded as a program builder, not only in the NCAA with San Sebastian but also in the PBA where he helped shape the futures of multiple franchises. He first turned Gilbey’s Gin from a cellar-dweller into a consistent contender, steering them to three straight runner-up finishes from 1981 to 1983. That team would eventually evolve into today’s Barangay Ginebra, but before Robert Jaworski became the face of the franchise, Valenzona was the first to make them competitive. He later moved to Tanduay, guiding a Ramon Fernandez- and Freddie Hubalde-led squad to three championships between 1986 and 1987. Midway through the 1987 season, he took over Hills Bros. and carried them to the finals, though they fell short against San Miguel. Interestingly, the two teams he last coached—Tanduay (sold to Purefoods) and Hills Bros. (renamed Alaska)—would both go on to achieve grand slams, showing how Valenzona often laid the foundation for future dynasties.

11 | RYAN GREGORIO

TITLE TEAM/S | PUREFOODS

FINALS W/L RECORD | 5 FINALS APPEARANCES | 3 - 2 | 60% WIN RATE

CHAMPIONSHIP STREAK | 1

INDIVIDUAL AWARDS | COACH OF THE YEAR (2002, 2005-06, 2009-10)

While Tim Cone delivered Purefoods a grand slam, it was Ryan Gregorio who gave the franchise stability as its longest-tenured coach. Like Ely Capacio, Chot Reyes, and Eric Altamirano before him, Gregorio also struck gold right away, winning a championship in his very first conference at the helm during the 2002 Governors’ Cup. From there, he became the face of the Purefoods bench for nearly a decade, steering the team to two more titles and nurturing the rise of James Yap, Roger Yap, and Kerby Raymundo. His success earned him three Coach of the Year awards, cementing his status as one of the franchise’s most important mentors. Though his stint with Meralco didn’t yield the same results, his Purefoods legacy remains undeniable.

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That wraps up the first half of our countdown of the PBA’s greatest coaches. From pioneers like Ed Ocampo, Ron Jacobs, and Turo Valenzona, to tactical builders like Perry Ronquillo and Derrick Pumaren, all the way to championship sparks like Ryan Gregorio and Luigi Trillo, these men proved that success comes in many forms. Some laid the foundations for future dynasties, others carved out surprise title runs, and a few maximized limited windows of opportunity to etch their names in history. Whether through short bursts of brilliance or consistent presence on the sidelines, they all left their mark on the league’s 50-year story.

TO BE CONCLUDED