For Tim Cone, Johnny Abarrientos is the greatest point guard he has seen play in the PBA, which is why he is so careful making a comparison to “The Flying A.”

But the winningest coach in PBA history sees some qualities of a special player in Kent Salado, the Gin Kings’ young point guard who is making the most of the opportunity being given to him.

“Kent got some meaningful minutes tonight,” said Cone. “He didn’t get the minutes, but he had meaningful minutes, turns in taking over from LA (Tenorio), guarding (Robert) Bolick for a while. I think he scored 6, 7 straight points at one point and kinda changed the tempo of the game.

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“That’s what we’re expecting from him. He’s been irrepressible. You can’t ignore him. He makes something happen every time he’s on the court — whether in a practice game or a real game. He’s always instigating something. He’s been hard to hold on. He’s the one who forced his way into the line up for all the things he had done, day in and day out.”

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Salado scored 7 second-quarter points and saw action in the absence of key players Stanley Pringle and Jared Dillinger.

Cone waited for 2 years to give this opportunity on Salado, who spent his time on the reserve list, but is now relishing this special moment.

Although the comparison is apples to oranges, Cone believes Salado has some qualities he had seen in Abarrientos, his premier point guard of his Alaska squad which became the team of the 1990s.

“I don’t want to put this pressure on him (Salado) because it’s really medyo malayo, but he has a little characteristics of Johnny Abarrientos. Just a little characteristics, a bit. The way he runs, he picks up a steal or does his jumper, it just brings back memories of Johnny a little bit,” Cone said.

“They’re still far apart. Johnny is obviously, a hall of famer and in my mind, the best point guard in the PBA ever.

“It’s hard to compare anybody with him. But there’s certain characteristics that reminded me of Johnny.”