by rick olivares
Joseller “Yeng” Guiao stood quietly in the back of the Mariano Singson Hall in the Ateneo Grade School. It was the night of the launch of “The Maestro of Philippine Basketball,” a book about the long and successful career of Virgilio “Baby” Dalupan. And Guiao, who has won a few championships himself, stood in the back next to another coach who also has some titles next to his name, Joel Banal who stood next to his brother Conrad, the Inquirer columnist who once played for Dalupan in Ateneo.
Also inside the Hall were some other folks who won a bunch of championships — Dante Silverio and Robert Jaworski. And there was Tim Cone.
“I think we’re reduced to being fans today,” quipped the ever quotable and loquacious Guiao.
Guiao has guided the Swifts and Rain or Shine franchises to PBA championships and has garnered a name for himself as a tough as nails coach who is able to extract the best out of non-descript players. And perhaps too, the last of the “ouido” coaches.
“You see at the time when I was growing up and playing basketball, there were no coaching clinics or seminars as they have now,” explained Guiao about the “ouido” term. “You learned the game by watching lots of basketball. Video was a tool that was unheard of. It was knowing your players and your opponents and trusting your instincts. I learned not only watching other teams but watching Baby Dalupan. Of course, now we have also adapted to the newer teaching and technologies in the game.”
“He (Dalupan) had a unique philosophy where he never started the same first five. He played match up basketball. You see the caliber of players on his teams — you have Atoy Co, Bogs Adornado, Ricky Brown, Allan Caidic, and Alvin Patrimonio — and think of their offense. But he had them playing defense.”
Co, who is currently the head coach of the Mapua Cardinals, corroborated Guiao’s story. “When I first joined Crispa, I wasn’t the jump shooter you know. He had me guarding the opposing team’s best scorer. He said I had the height and long arms and mobility to bother their shots. Only when I satisfied him in playing defense did he allow me to take shots."
“The first time I coached against Coach Baby,” recalled Guiao. "I remember standing along the sideline a few feet away from him and wondering if this was real,” added the current Rain or Shine tactician. “I grew up in the era of Crispa-Toyota. The players and coaches of those two teams were larger than life. They captivated not only me but an entire nation.”
Then as now Dalupan who won a total of 52 championships from college to the professional ranks still does.
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