Siot Tanquingcen has heard many comments regarding what many believe was an insulting demotion when he was relegated from head coach to assistant coach of San Miguel Beer during the team’s championship series against Alaska.

But Tanquingcen said he accepted the demotion because the situation followed a basketball philosophy that has guided his coaching career. As coach, he said, he often asked his players not to feel bad about their reduced playing time, to sacrifice for the good of the whole team.

“The whole time I was head coach of the team, I was telling the players, especially the veterans to make sacrifices like limited playing roles. We have a team loaded with talent. They can’t play all at the same time, so I asked the players to sacrifice a little,” he said.

“All of us, even me, need to do a little sacrifice. If it’s for the betterment of the team, that’s fine with me. That’s how I look at it,” he added.

So when it happened that he was practically sacked as coach, he said he decided to stay on even when many of his closest friends wondered how he could have accepted the demotion without asking management why.

He thought it was for the good of the team.

Tanquingcen was relieved of his head coaching duties after Game 4 when his team trailed 1-3 and SMB management, headed by Robert Non, tapped his assistant Gee Abanilla to take over.

The Beermen responded to the change with a victory, to narrow the gap to 3-2. But the change at midstream backfired the following game when Alaska, having gotten over the Abanilla surprise, routed San Miguel to capture the championship.

Alaska’s 13th PBA championship was sweet but it was overshadowed by the coaching fiasco at San Miguel.

And until this day, many people are still wondering why Tanquingcen is allowing himself to suffer the indignity he has received from SMB.

But even as his coaching future is on the line, with SMB management reportedly keen on getting either Ato Agustin or Abanilla to be the official San Miguel head coach, Tanquingcen remains loyal and a good soldier.

“Whatever the management will do, I’m fine with it. There’s a reason for everything. If you want to take it badly, well it’s up to the person. It’s based on our own perspective,” he said.