UE sacks Codiñera, taps Zamar anew

University of the East has tapped David “Boyzie” Zamar to replace Jerry Codiñera as head coach, citing the need for “appropriate measures” to boost its campaign in the UAAP men’s basketball tournament.

The surprise move followed the Warriors’ dismal performance in the first round where they wound up in the cellar with a 1-6 record.

Zamar, who mentored the Warriors for three seasons starting in 2001, will call the shots on an interim basis starting this Saturday when UE battles La Salle.

In a statement, UE said “appropriate measures are being undertaken to strengthen the performance” of the school in various sports events.

But Codiñera, who took over the team last year, will remain with the school as a sports consultant.

“[Codiñera] has been assigned a bigger task… to help strengthen UE’s sports programs,” the school said in a statement yesterday.

“His more than three decades of experience in the sporting arena would surely be beneficial in the broader… responsibility of attending to UE’s program, which covers over 30 sporting squads, aside from our basketball teams.”

Codiñera finished with a 4-17 win-loss coaching record in his abbreviated stint with the Warriors.

Zamar, who recently mentored club teams in Southeast Asia, steered the Warriors to the Final Four in 2002 and 2003.