MANILA, 24 May — In this new era of much taller, quicker, and more athletic players, they are already considered virtual dinosaurs in the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA).
The mere mention of names like Ronnie Magsanoc, Alvin Patrimonio, Paul Alvarez and Jerry Codinera revives memories of good old days in the country’s premier league.
But make no mistake about it, the four battled-tested hardcourt warriors are still trying hard to keep their names afloat, and their legacy alive, at the backdrop of talented foreign-bred players invading the league. They are simply not about to hang up their jerseys just yet.
They are oldies but goodies, so to speak.
The 35-year-old Magsanoc, a veteran point guard who is among the all-time greats, is still playing a pivotal role in Purefoods’ offense although he is supposed to be way past his prime even before the season started.
But with starters Boyet Fernandez and Noy Castillo on loan to the national team bound for the Asian Games in Busan, South Korea, in September, Magsanoc’s services was tapped to carry out the very same role which propelled him to greatness.
And in a league teeming with younger and faster players, Magsanoc continues to impress spectators with his court brilliance.
The 5-8 play maker is looked at as the spirited leader of the Hotdogs who are currently playing with Alaska in their best-of-seven series for the Governor’s Cup title.
And considering that Purefoods, with erstwhile franchise player Patrimonio already worn out by time, wanting very badly to get the respect of the league, Magsanoc’s mere presence on the bench, and on the game, provides the team a new bubble of confidence.
Magsanoc, indeed, has proven he can come back with a bang after spending most of his time recently cooling his heels on the bench to become a driving force in the league.
The seven-time All-Star has wowed fans all over the country early in his career with his penchant on hitting booming three-point shots, particularly in the most unexpected moment of the game, and mastery with the ball while directing floor traffic for Shell during the late 80s and early 90s.
Lacking in size but never in spirit, Magsanoc instantly distinguished himself as one of the best PBA guards in 1988, the year he broke into the pro league.
As a rookie, he introduced a new dimension to point-guard play, since he was capable of scoring on his own, and almost at will, as well as setting up his teammates for whistling plays.
When the leather was in Magsanoc’s hands, his guard couldn’t afford to sit back and wait for the play to develop because he was such a big threat in his small size with his in-you-face three pointers.
In 1990, he teamed up with a center named Benjie Paras — his trusted, most dependable “partner in crime” when they led the University of the Philippines Maroons to the UAAP crown in 1986 — to steer Shell to its first ever championship in the All-Filipino Conference.
That season, Magsanoc led the league in both steals and assists categories that eventually earned him the moniker “The Point Laureate.”
Born April 11, 1966, Magsanoc rose from high school star at San Beda and college stardom as a member of the University of the Philippines Maroons.
In 1986, he, Paras and another notable point guard, Eric Altamirano, powered UP Maroons to a big upset win over the heavily favored UE Warriors for the State University’s first ever post-war UAAP championship.
Magsanoc and Paras played key roles in the build-up of Shell. Magsanoc settled into his role as play maker for Paras and other frontcourt men and imports like Bobby Parks, and he helped Shell bag two championships.
In 1998, the unimaginable happened when Ronnie, the other half of Shell’s celebrated Mutt and Jeff tandem, was traded for Gerald Esplana.
But life after Shell did not turn out to be so bad for Magsanoc. The four-time Mythical Team member had a decent year, finishing in the Top 10 in assists, three-point shots and free throw shooting. More importantly, he gave the Realtors poise and leadership in the backcourt.
A Philosophy graduate of the State University, Magsanoc is a member of three elite clubs — 500 steals, 2,000 assists and 5,000 points. He also topped the league for most three-point shots made in 1996.
And if you think you have seen the last of Patrimonio, the second four-time Most Valuable Player (MVP) winner, think again.
He is not calling it a day. As a matter of fact, he is still trying to open what could well be yet another chapter of his colorful storybook career in the pro league. And even if, admittedly, Father Time is fast catching up on him, Patrimonio will still be around under the glaring lights of the hardcourt, maybe for a year or two.
He has already been named assistant coach of Purefoods, his mother and only ballclub that has made him become one of the PBA’s all-time greats. Although that position as head coach’s first lieutenant would take effect only next year — the time when he could well be ready for a grand exit — it doesn’t matter at all for now.
What counts more is that the prized forward — known in the league as the “Captain” — is already assured of a retirement compensation that could be as heavy as his multi-million bank account.
Patrimonio, one of only two winners of the PBA’s coveted MVP trophy four times — next only to his boyhood idol and former coach and teammate Ramon Fernandez — also stands to set a record straight when he assumes the job as assistant bench taskmaster.
He would become only the second marquee PBA player after Allan Caidic to play the dual role of a player and an assistant coach at the same time.
Before Patrimonio, among those who became player-assistant coach were Allan Caidic under coach Rino Salazar at Barangay Ginebra, Dickie Bachmann and Jun Reyes under coach Tim Cone at Alaska and Art dela Cruz and Siot Tanquingcen under coach Jong Uichico at San Miguel.
Taking the bigger role of player-head coach were Robert Jaworski at Ginebra, Fernandez at Purefoods and Norman Black for a game or more at San Miguel and Pop Cola.
Purefoods team manager Rene Pardo said the new contract of Patrimonio has already been finalized. The 6-foot-4 forward whose place in history is already assured even before he could affix his signature to his player’s contract extension is more than excited even at the mere thoughts of becoming part of the coaching staff next year.
“Basketball is my life so ever since I really wanted to become coach once I end my playing career. That’s why I’m so excited with my future with Purefoods,” said the 35-year-old Patrimonio who admitted he’s not getting any younger. And he is now preparing himself for his transformation from playing to coaching after getting his wish for a three-year deal involving an assistant coaching job.
In signing up a new contract with Purefoods, Patrimonio has assured himself of the maximum monthly pay of 500,000 pesos with a special provision making him a part of the coaching staff at the end of the contract next year.
“It’s up to him (Patrimonio). He can start right away this year if he feels like wanting to become the team’s assistant coach and at the same time playing inside,” Pardo said. “But he says not this year. He wants to concentrate more on playing and helping the team win a title. He is looking forward to have another great season.”
Interestingly, Patrimonio is determined to win an unprecedented fifth PBA MVP award.
“That is my goal this year,” said Patrimonio.
“He thinks he still has a good chance to go for another MVP plum this year, so he’ll still concentrate on playing,” said Pardo.
With coach Eric Altamirano on loan to the Philippine national team bound for the Asian Games, the youthful Ryan Gregorio has been tasked to be the acting head coach at Purefoods.
Actually, Patrimonio is also working extra hard determined to regain his old deadly form with hopes of getting a last-minute call to join the national team in the prestigious quadrennial regional games.
He wants to suit up for the national squad one last time.
The 30 players named by head coach Jong Uichico to the two Philippine candidates teams that saw action in this year’s PBA season-opening Governor’s Cup didn’t include Patrimonio. So understandably he was not among the 15 Busan-bound national players named by Uichico.
He didn’t feel bad he was not included in the list of players invited to join the tryouts for the national squad. And he was not bitter for not being tapped by Uichico in the national team, either.
Still, Patrimonio is working out probably even harder in the hope of getting a last-minute call to play for flag and country again.
Pardo and the Purefoods coaching staff can attest to the fact that Patrimonio has been working so hard in practice.
Already a four-time Asian Games veteran, Patrimonio still has the burning desire to wear the national colors in international wars, particularly the coming Asian Games.
“Of course, we are talking here of playing for flag and country. Although I have already played for the national team four times in the Asian Games, I still want to play in Busan. I just keep on playing hard and, hopefully, I’ll be given another chance to suit up for the national team,” he said.
The former Mapua King Cardinal played for the Philippine team in the Asian Games in Seoul in 1986, in Beijing in 1990, Hiroshima in 1994 and Bangkok in 1998,
“I must admit that my performance last year was not that good,” he said.
Indeed, the 2001 season turned out to be a trying one for Patrimonio, perhaps the toughest of his entire career. The opposition became bigger and stronger, owing to the influx of foreign-bred players, particularly Fil-Ams, often dwarfing a man who for so long has been undisputedly the league’s premier front-liner. But Patrimonio thinks this season will be good for him. “I just hope that I can make up for that this year,” he said.
At the end of the day, Patrimonio would have to ask the haunting question: When am I going to retire? It will all depend on his showing this year, Patrimonio thought, whether he’ll hang up his jersey next year.
He has signed a contract that would guarantee him a playing time until 2004.
By then he’s 38 and having played 17 seasons in the PBA — only Robert Jaworski (23 seasons), Abet Guidaben (21), Ramon Fernandez (20), Yoyoy Villamin (18) and Abe King (18) played more.
Alvarez, on the other hand, is back where he belongs. In fact, he savored all the attention when he made yet another return to the PBA this year.
“I felt so overwhelmed,” said the acrobatic guard-forward after receiving the longest and loudest applause when he was introduced as a member of the Airfreight 2100/Federal Express at the jampacked Araneta Coliseum.
“I didn’t expect this (warm welcome) considering that I’ve been away (in the PBA) for a long time,” said Alvarez, who returned to the big league after joining the Metropolitan Basketball Association (MBA) for a couple of seasons. “That’s why I felt like I didn’t leave the PBA.”
