Newly appointed University of the East tactician Jack Santiago felt his team was making progress in the new system that he was trying to implement for the Red Warriors.
But the COVID-19 pandemic, which prompted an enhanced community quarantine, also forced the Red Warriors to suspend practices, spoiling their momentum as they build up toward the UAAP season late this year.
Having spent close to 20 years as assistant to Franz Pumaren at De La Salle and Adamson in the UAAP and Air21 in the PBA, the 53-year-old Santiago finally got his break when he was appointed the coach of the Red Warriors in January.
He had formed his coaching staff that included former San Beda and National U coach Jamike Jarin and John Ferriols as assistant coaches and Dan Rose as conditioning coach before the lockdown was announced.
“We were doing well in practice and I had already formed my coaching staff before the lockdown happened,” Santiago said.
“We really had no choice but to stop. Some of my players were asked to go home by their parents.”
With the other schools retaining their high-profile coaches from last season, Santiago is hard-pressed to turn around the UE program that won just 11 games in the last four seasons. The Red Warriors haven’t reached the Final Four since Season 72.
“It’s a process and it (the turnaround) won’t happen overnight,” Santiago said. “Of course, health and safety are paramount right now. But we have a lot of catching up to do compared to the other teams.”
Up until the second week of January, Santiago was still running practices for Adamson in lieu of Pumaren, who was still out of the country.
He was interviewed for the UE job on Jan. 15 and got the nod the same day.
“I was in touch with coach Franz the whole time throughout the process of my move,” said Santiago, who was also offered the coaching job two years ago only to turn it down as he felt he had unfinished business with Adamson, which was reeling from a Final Four defeat to University of the Philippines.
“We treat each other as family. He (Franz Pumaren) was one of the first people to congratulate me.”
Santiago said the first instruction he got from UE school officials was to instill the value of discipline in the team.
“They (UE) know that I come from the Pumaren system, which is known for discipline,” added Santiago, who is looking forward to coaching against some of his greatest coaching influences in Derrick Pumaren of La Salle and Franz Pumaren of Adamson when the season opens. INQ