THREE former PBA standouts who used to battle each other on the court will be on the sidelines and will try to outwit one another as new coaches starting with the PBA’s 50th season.
LA Tenorio has retired from Ginebra and will call the shots for Magnolia while erstwhile assistant tacticians Willy Wilson of Phoenix and Terrafirma’s Ronald Tubid were handed the head coaching reins for their respective squads.
For Tubid, the new challenge—and the task of going up against his fellow former players on the bench—brings a different kind of excitement.
“Magagaling na rin sila kasi si coach LA, coach Willy, nag-coach naman na rin kami,” Tubid said. “So, probably this is our chance to prove kung puwede na kami sa PBA. Also to repay iyong tiwala ng management sa amin.
“Pero nagkataon kasi tatlo kaming naglaro din sa Ginebra so iyon ang story doon. Excited to go against them sa coaching. Pero we’ll see kung anong mangyayari, paghahandaan talaga namin,” he added.
A former University of the East star who saw action in Asia’s pioneering pro league for 16 years with stops at Shell, Air21, Ginebra, Barako Bull, San Miguel Beer, and with the Dyip, Tubid said he learned from a slew of multi-titled strategists—Perry Ronquillo, Leo Austria, Junel Baculi, Jong Uichico, and Johnedel Cardel.
“Excited pa rin na ma-test na iyong ability to coach. So, looking forward sa challenge na iyon and dream natin as a player before ito, that’s why nandito tayo. Hindi lang team manager, nag-assistant coach din ako. So, well, this time siguro, sistema ko na ang gagamitin,” Tubid said. “How many coaches naman ang pinagdaanan ko? Every coach na nadaanan ko, may nakuha ako.
“Dadagdagan pa namin sa sistema namin na before you shoot, depensa muna so, iyon ang focus namin. Excited ako for this time. Hopefully, makapag-change ako ng culture ng Terrafirma.”
Will that be enough to help Tubid in his baptism of fire in the season-opening Philippine Cup that comes off the wraps on Oct. 5, along with top rookie pick Geo Chiu? True-blue PBA fans await.
