Coach Don Dulay considers Davao Occidental's MPBL Lakan Cup title win the "sweetest of all victories" as they were able to avenge their loss to San Juan the previous season.

The Tigers fell short of the crown in the 2018-19 Datu Cup national finals, after losing Game 5 against eventual-champion San Juan, 87-86.

Before losing to the Knights that season, the Tigers were having an outstanding year.

"We were able to get the best record in the league, I was able to coach the All-Star game, win that, and become South champions," Dulay said in the Inside the Chooks-to-Go MPBL bubble vodcast.

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"It was actually a Cinderella story if you think about it and that’s why I wanted that championship against San Juan, that would be the perfect story," he said.

That stinging defeat motivated Davao Occidental to comeback stronger in the Lakan Cup, Dulay said.

As fate would have it, Davao set another titular clash against San Juan in the national finals.

It was Finals MVP Mark Yee who stamped the punctuation mark against the Knights, drilling a clutch triple that won Game 4 for the Tigers, 89-88, and securing the Chooks-to-Go MPBL Lakan championship.

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"I know the passion was there, I know they wanted it even from the first season and that’s what hurt me so much as a coach because I wanted them to have that championship," said Dulay as he looked back at their loss in Datu Cup.

"To have that chance again (to face San Juan), when that final buzzer went, I was so emotional."

Dulay admitted that he has been playing their title win over and over again on the internet.

"It was really special. Even watching the replay, I still get touched, I am still watching it. It was something special, something I’ll never forget," he said.

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