Former PBA player Boybits Victoria during his guesting with Inquirer’s SportsIQ.
MANILA, Philippines—Boybits Victoria, who won seven PBA championships and was Rookie of the Year in 1994, died on Wednesday due to a heart attack. He was 50.
His son Nathan confirmed on social media the passing of the elder Victoria after reports that the former Sunkist and San Miguel Beer guard underwent angioplasty recently.
In a Facebook post, Victoria’s children said their father suffered an acute myocardial infarction and was pronounced dead at 6:55 pm at San Juan De Dios Manila.
Victoria was diagnosed with an autoimmune disorder in 2018, but his condition eventually improved after spending weeks in the hospital.
The former San Beda mainstay was selected third overall by Swift in the 1994 PBA Rookie Draft and took the top freshman honor over Purefoods’ Rey Evangelista by season’s end.
He quarterbacked the renamed Sunkist team to a near-Grandslam in 1995 when the Orange Juicers beat the Alaska Milkmen twice for the All-Filipino and Commissioner’s Cup titles.
Other key members of that team were 1995 Most Valuable Player Vergel Meneses, Bonel Balingit, Nelson Asaytono, Al Solis and Yoyoy Villamin.
Victoria lasted three more seasons before moving to San Miguel in 1999 as a backup point guard to Olsen Racela.
He fit quite nicely in that role and became part of the Beermen teams starred by Racela, Danny Seigle and Danny Ildefonso that claimed five championships from 1999 to 2001.
Tributes poured for Victoria with former San Miguel coach Jong Uichico remembering his role as an “incredible sixth man” for the Beermen.
“I am deeply saddened to hear of the passing of Boybits Victoria. An incredible 6th man for our SMB teams. I will always remember him as a humble and unselfish person. Grateful and honored to have been a part of his life and career. Rest now our dear Boybits,” tweeted Uichicho.