Robert Jaworski, Tim Cone, Meralco coaching staff to be recognized by PBA scribes

Robert Jaworski, Tim Cone, and the coaching staff of the Meralco Bolts are among those who will be recognized by the PBA Press Corps in its annual awards night on Tuesday.

Jaworski, considered as among the league's icons, will be given the Lifetime Achievement Award. In his PBA career, the 'Big J' became the Most Valuable Player in 1978 and won 13 titles. The Toyota and Barangay Ginebra icon was eventually included in the league's 25 Greatest Players of All-Time and was inducted in the 2005 Hall of Fame.

Cone, meanwhile, will be given with the President's Award for the recent achievements of Gilas Pilipinas, including the upset against Latvia in the FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament where the Philippines won, 89-80.

The Meralco coaching staff, composed of head coach Luigi Trillo, active consultant Nenad Vucinic, and deputies Gene Afable, Reynel Hugnatan, and Sandro Soriano, with consultant Norman Black, will receive the Baby Dalupan Coach of the Year Award as they steered the Bolts to the Philippine Cup title, the first for their franchise, against the San Miguel Beermen. This will also be the first time that an entire coaching staff will be given the recognition.

Other awardees include SMC sports director Alfrancis Chua (Danny Floro Executive of the Year), Meralco's Cliff Hodge (Defensive Player of the Year), Magnolia's Ian Sangalang and Barangay Ginebra's LA Tenorio (Comeback Player of the Year), and Meralco's Bong Quinto (Mr. Quality Minutes).

—JKC, GMA Integrated News