AFTER almost eight years under the leadership and guidance of Coach Pido Jarencio, the UST Growling Tigers has a new coach, namely former assistant coach Segundo “Bong” Dela Cruz III. Following last season’s defeat from La Salle Green Archers, the towering coach promises to deliver another exciting and action-packed season to remember.
Humble Beginnings
His fascination with basketball started when he was in elementary, wherein he was influenced by his father. “Nag-start yan nung Crispa-Toyota (rivalry),” he said, “Nanonood yung daddy ko, so nanonood na din ako [at] nag-enjoy ako.”
Before Coach Bong got into the coaching profession, he first started as a player for the UST High School’s basketball team in the ‘80’s after one of the varsity coaches watched him play during their intramurals. He then moved to play for the Adamson University, where he also graduated with a Business degree, in his college years back in the early ‘90s.
Today, he is more focused on his coaching stint because, as he said, he was not able to continue his basketball career due to several injuries and was not able to pursue his dream of running a food or clothing business. Instead, he decided to try his hand at coaching.
From coaching a grade school basketball team to even coaching the women’s basketball team, which won many games, he made his way up to being Coach Pido’s assistant coach sometime in the D-League and served for two years in the UAAP before he was appointed as the Tigers’ head coach early this year.
‘Big shoes to fill’
Although there were talks about the recommendation of fellow Estong Ballesteros to head the Growling Tigers, it was Coach Bong who was unanimously chosen by the university administration to fill in the position. He admitted that a huge responsibility awaits him, not only to the Tigers team but also to the whole Thomasian community.
“Syempre masaya na ako yung napili . Kaya lang, at the same time, nagkaroon agad ako ng kailangang trabahuhin,” he said, “Kailangan mag-prepare agad kasi two years nasa championship ang team na ‘to so yung papalit kay Coach Pido ay napakalaki ng responsibility.”
The new coach certainly has big shoes to fill for as he has to shape the Tigers to continue to strive for victory in the upcoming UAAP season. “Ang nakikita kong expectation ng Thomasian community is that we will go to the finals,” he said when asked about the Thomasians’ expectations of him and the team.
“Yung, pressure nandiyan naman yan e. Mahirap pero kailangang tanggapin. Ako naman, basta nakapagprepare ako nang maayos, nagawa ko na yung part ko,” he added.
Coach Bong admitted that reaching that goal is difficult because the team is still adjusting to his methods and the team hasn’t been complete during trainings due to some players’ injuries. However, he is still confident that they will improve in all of their practices and games in the future.
Towards reaching the championships
The way he keenly observes his players’ strengths and weaknesses and points it out to them during practice shows that Coach Bong is not just an average coach. He is not afraid to face the challenges. If needed, he will continue to push the players until they have reached their maximum potential.
True enough, the players expressed favor for the new coach saying that he is dependable, responsible and disciplined. “Ang masasabi ko kay Coach Bong, disiplinado siya sa amin, tsaka alam niya ‘yung ginagawa niya,” said Levi de la Cruz, one of the rookies from NU. Afren Gayosa, another rookie from San Sebastian, described the new coach as a ‘kind and capable’ man with a lot of discipline.
The team is currently undergoing intense strength training using weights, coupled with a lot of personal motivations and the usual basketball training as they prepare for the upcoming season. “(Our priority) is to win. Yun naman ineexpect ng tao eh. Pero kailangan mag-prepare kami to win everyday,” he said.
With all this physical work, Coach Bong also wants to instil to the players’ minds his personal philosophy that “anybody can shoot, anybody can be a leader.”
A new beginning- that sums up Coach Bong’s unparalleled determination to reach the goal with much hard work and discipline. He reminds his players to continue to improve saying in a reassuring yet commanding voice that inside the court, “perfect practice makes perfect.”
With this kind of attitude, no doubt UST is in good hands.
