Champion coaches Altamirano, Fernandez to be feted in Collegiate Awards

By: Mark Giongco - 9 years ago

NU head coach Eric Altamirano (right) and former San Beda mentor Boyet Fernandez will receive Coach of the Year honors in the 2014 Collegiate Basketball Awards on Dec. 4. Mark Giongco/INQUIRER.net

MANILA, Philippines — Head coaches Eric Altamirano and Boyet Fernandez will be recognized for steering their respective teams to historic runs when the UAAP-NCAA Press Corps stages its 2014 Collegiate Basketball Awards next month.

Altamirano guided the National University Bulldogs to their first UAAP championship in 60 years while Fernandez coached the San Beda Red Lions to their fifth straight NCAA crown.

Altamirano and Fernandez will receive the Coach of the Year awards on Dec. 4 during the annual recognition dinner to be held at Saisaki-Kamayan EDSA.

NU transformed from being a pushover to a legitimate championship contender under Altamirano’s watch.

It was an unprecedented run for the Bulldogs, who became the first No. 4 seed to win the title.

Fernandez on the other hand, continued San Beda’s winning tradition when he took over in 2013. And the Red Lions’ latest title last October was a fitting sendoff for Fernandez, who is now back in the professional ranks as head coach of the NLEX Road Warriors in the PBA.

Reeling from the absence of two-time MVP Ray Parks, Altamirano honed the likes of Troy Rosario and Gelo Alolino to develop into stars to complement the dominating presence of Cameroonian center Alfred Aroga and the resurgence of Glenn Khobuntin.

The Red Lions needed to shake off from a rocky finish late in the elimination round with Fernandez able to regroup his players led by heady guard Baser Amer, Nigerian center Ola Adeogun and versatile forwards Art dela Cruz and Anthony Semerad just in time for the Final Four where they breezed through the opposition.

The two champion coaches are just some of the personalities to be honored by SMART together with the group of sports reporters covering the collegiate beat.

The event, supported by Smart Sports, Accel 3XVI and Kohl Industries (Doctor J alcohol, Bactigel hand sanitizer, Mighty Mom dishwashing liquid), honors the outstanding performers in the country’s top two varsity leagues.