THE REINFORCEMENTS

Playing guard, wearing jersey  #11 

from St. John's Institute of Bacolod

Please welcome NONOY CHUATICO

Bacolod is one of the most progressive and elite cities in the country and more than its famous tourist destinations its very affectionate , fun loving and smiling people makes this city truly a place you can call heaven on earth. The city of smiles has also been a haven of rising basketball stars and the Blue Eagles have always been on a look out after discovering Nonoy Baclao who led his West Negros University team to the Unigames title in 2005. Although the Eagles missed out on Kib Montalbo of St. John’s Institute in 2013, they more than made up for it by recruiting another Bacolodnon, SJ Belangel,  from Tay Tung for the Blue Eaglets who eventually  committed to being an eagle.  St. John’s Institute first won the Negros Occidental Private Schools Sports Cultural Educational Association (NOPSCEAA) Juniors title during the 1981 – 1982 season with their star player and MVP averaging more than 30 points and that sweet shooting high scorer was Emilio “Nonoy” Chuatico.  It really helped that Nonoy’s sister Chao, the first woman editor in chief of Guidon,   was already at the Ateneo. At the same time his older brother Paul was already a member of the Blue Eagles that was why his transition with Blue Eagles seemed seamless as they blasted the UP Maroons 98 – 68 with him, Chot Reyes, Dean Castano and Jonel Ladaban scoring in double figures.  That season UP would have swept the UAAP but was unfortunate enough to lose only twice – to Ateneo.  While his basketball skills were on high gear, adjusting to life in college and balancing academics was quite the problems he encountered in his first year at the hill. Nonoy eventually fixed his academics but it took him a while to do so. When Nonoy came back there was already a three point line to complement his shooting.  In the times that he played every time he caught a pass from the three point line everyone was raising their arms signaling a three point shot. During the 1987 season he punished the tamaraws for leaving him open and when he got hot he punished them more by scorching the hoops with 31 points. His last game donning the Blue & White came when the UAAP champs played other champs from around the country and they played toe to toe with the South Western University Cobras that featured Roberto Jabar Jr., Calvin Tuadles and Primitivo Mutya.  The gym in Davao where they played was so packed that people were already sitting on the basketball floor and people needed to move when someone was taking the ball out of bounds. That game was one for the books as Nonoy caught a pass from the three-point line and let fly a three that found its way to the bottom of the net. That signified the end of an illustrious Blue Eagle career that saw him average 19.30 points per game in 1987 season. Nonoy was there when the Eagles were struggling for an identity and he capped it all up by leading the Blue Eagles to their first ever UAAP title!

Playing the Forward position, wearing jersey #11

from Marist School of Marikina 

Please welcome MEL BASA

Back in the day, the employees of Meralco had a baseball team composed of their kids and it was s sight seeing Jerry, Harmon and Pat Codinera play in that league. Others who joined them were future tennis standouts Jake and Jennifer Saberon and future Blue Eagle Remil "Mel" Basa and his brothers. Since he was into baseball, Mel got into the varsity school and he represented the Marist school in Marikina. In his senior year in High school, he got recruited to play for their basketball team because of his height and he said YES because for him it was better playing basketball since its indoors unlike baseball which was always under the sun.  Mel went on to represent his school again in the PRADA basketball competitions and went up against Ateneo, La Salle Greenhils and San Beda. After High school, Mel got accepted to the Ateneo and got word that there are going to be tryouts for the Men's basketball team. Mel's father had an officemate whose brother (Tino Estella) was playing for the Blue Eagles and he got word that the Senior's team will be conducting open tryouts for walk-in players. Mel tried out and he was fortunate enough to make the team together with three other rookies - Jong Vicencio who came from Ateneo de Davao, Ricky Farinas who came from Ilocos and Gene Louis Afable. Mel toiled hard to keep his spot in the team and he got a lot of encouragement from his coach, his teammates and most specially his dad. Like every rookie and sophomore, one must get acclimatized with the rigorous practices and training so that you can familiarize yourself with the system, defense and conditioning. Usually coaches would play the seniors most of the time and the make the rookies and sophomores get a little exposure depending on their development. This was what Mel went through but he kept himself ready every game. In fact, one of his teammates Nonoy Chuatico encouraged him to take extra jump shots to improve his offense which made them go to the gym a little bit earlier before their team practices.  Adjustments were hard in those days since Mel came in 1984 there was no three point line yet and in 1985 the amateur community adopted the three-point field goal line. Eventually Mel was inserted in some games and when the 1987 season came along, he was one of them dependable role players coming off the bench, hustling on defense and shooting an occasional three pointer or even dunk the ball on a fastbreak.  In his final game in the UAAP he was one of the starters at the small forward position against the De La Salle University Green Archers. Mel is a testament that patience and hardwork  does pay off. 

Eric Reyes was a big part of this LSGH National Inter-Secondary Champion Team
 that beat San Beda led by Benjie Paras
Picture from Joey Guanio's FB Page

In the 1985-86 school year the best player to come out of the Juniors division was another Ato Badolato disciple in Benjie Paras. The past two years saw Paras tear down the juniors division by beating every team in its way including ALL Ateneo Juniors squads until they lost to the La Salle Greenhills Greenies in the National Inter-secondary  Basketball Tournament. That team was led by the sweet shooting Joey Guanio the scoring of Ricky Henson, the quarterbacking of Binky Favis and the inside presence of Eric Reyes. That win sent waves to the college recruiters and one college coach that took notice was Coach Joe Lipa of UP. Coach Joe invited Eric and Joey to UP for their tryouts and Eric was there for a few practices and he liked it there. Imagine the Maroons having a frontline of Benjie Paras, Eric Reyes, Joey Mendoza together with Ramil Cruz, Ronnie Magsanoc, Eric Altamirano and Duane Salvaterra and Joey Guanio! But come decision time, Eric’s father wanted him to either matriculate in DLSU or Ateneo. Since Eric came from La Salle Greenhills it would have been a wise decision to stay at Taft. Since his dad went to the Ateneo Grade School back then, Eric gave Ateneo a try. He contacted another former La Salle Greenie, Llen Mumar who transferred to Ateneo for college and Eric went to the tryout to see if he can crack the Ateneo line up. Gearing up for the 1986 UAAP season, Eric became a welcome addition to the team. He was met with open arms by Jun Reyes, Jet Nieto and the rest of the Blue Eagles. Never in his mind did it come to him that he was going to play for the Ateneo Blue Eagles. Sensing that the Blue Eagles were putting together a team that can contend in the next few years, Eric transferred his talents to Katipunan and became a vital cog of the Blue Eagles’ drive to give the Ateneo Back to Back UAAP Men’s Basketball titles. His friends from La Salle were shocked with his decision but Eric was firm with what he wanted and suited up for the Blue and white. He recalls that in his first game against La Salle in 1986 some of his friends distanced themselves from him because of him changing his colors from green to blue but Eric did not get his emotions get in the way whenever he played his former alma mater. He scored 5 points in his first game against La Salle in 1986 and by the second round of 1987 he punished them by scoring 30.  

In 1983 Reinier "Haj" Jeongco was one of four rookies of that squad while Gene Louise Afable arrived in 1984. Both players  helped out the team on defense and offense when needed and their role were primarily to relieve the first stringers and give them some rest. Haj is the high leaping 6’0 small forward who played High school ball in Moline High School in Illinois, USA. Gene on the other hand is a 6'0 guard who is also a high leaper and was a member of the 1983 Letran team that won the NCAA Juniors title. Nonoy, Mel, Eric, Haj and Gene were the only reinforcements the team got from other high school programs.

 

The last of the reinforcements that helped the Blue Eagles cause were Ateneans who gave a lot of support to the team. First is Ernest Escaler who at that time was a young Businessman who set up Gourmet coffee – the first branded coffee from the Philippines to make it big here and abroad. There was also Gourmet Farms, the first to commercially produce organic vegetables in the Philippines. Since one of his classmates at the Ateneo then was coaching the Ateneo Blue Eagles, he was asked if he could help out the team. He obliged and he took care of many needs of the team from shoes, vitamins, uniforms, food and many more stuff that made the players focus more on basketball and not get distracted on other things that they need. Next is Ricky Palou who was once a champion Blue Eaglet and champion Blue Eagle in the NCAA. He and Ernest Escaler were always there to help out the Blue Eagles on whatever they needed. There was a time they needed help for their training, Football coach Chris Monfort and former Blue Eagles trainer Cary Sevilla lent their expertise to be able to give conditioning tips and sessions to the Blue Eagles. Then there’s the Silver Jubilarians who helped gather the Alumni and give them hope that 1987 is the year that the Blue Eagles will be redeemed. They were there to reinforce the team and the community and gave the boost that it needed.

NEXT BLOG: 1987 SEASON PREVIEW

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