INQUIRER Sports

MANILA, Philippines—It might not sit well with the Basketball Coaches Association of the Philippines (BCAP) but the choice of Serbian coach Rajko Toroman as national team project director has a legitimate historical basis.

Mauricio “Moying” Martelino, a former secretary-general of Fiba-Asia (formerly Asian Basketball Confederation), stressed that the RP men’s team improved dramatically when American coach Ron Jacobs called the shots.

Jacobs, who, as chief mentor of the Northern Cement Consolidated basketball squad led the national team to several international accolades in the 80s built on a steady stream of young dribblers and naturalized players.

“He revolutionized the game of basketball in this country,” said Martelino, a long-time secretary general of the Basketball Association of the Philippines when the federation was still in charge of forming the national team.

“The knowledge and coaching style of coach Ron eventually rubbed off to the other coaches and it improved the way we played the game,” added Martelino.

Jacobs led the under-19 national team to the 1982 Asian Youth Basketball Championship title, which included players like former PBA stars Hector Calma, Samboy Lim and Leo Austria, among others.

The American coach then added naturalized players Jeff Moore, Dennis Still and American shooting maestro Arthur “Chip” Engelland to the pool along with Filipino hotshot Allan Caidic and the core of Jacobs’ under-19 squad that resulted in a handful of titles in the international scene.

“If it’s good for Philippine basketball, then give it a try,” said Martelino on the hiring of Toroman, a veteran international coach who led Iran to the Beijing Olympics this year after a 60-year hiatus.

Since 1985, no Filipino coach has ever won a major Asian title for the national team.

“We’ve tried almost all of the best minds in local basketball but we have yet to succeed,” said Martelino.