UC eyes City High coach as next basketball mentor

FAR FROM eyeing another shot at the basketball title, men's reigning titleholder University of the Cordilleras (UC) has yet to replace its head coach prior to its campaign in the 26th season of the Baguio-Benguet Educational Athletic League.

With more than a month before the annual collegiate wars open on August 25 with University of Baguio hosting the affair, the UC Jaguars is eyeing a high school tactician to man the shot at the bench in the premiere tournament.

Since coach John Carlo Domingo left for Canada, it was assistant coach Haynes Acdong who has been calling the shots for the defending champion but athletic director Ruel Costina said they are currently under talks with Baguio City National High School tactician Joey Agacer to call the shots.

“He's a top candidate but we are still under negotiation, nothing is yet final,” said Costina in an earlier conversation.

Following its 15-year drought, UC finally wrested the men's basketball crown with Domingo winning the joust over rockie coach Rogelio Basto of the UB Cardinals in an epic three game best of three thriller.

Domingo was on his second year as head coach and was a former playmaker for the Jaguar where he led the team to its first final appearance after 14 years in 2010 but lost to a formidable and much experienced Joel Flores in just two games.

But it was a different story in 2012 as Flores took a breather from coaching to concentrate on their family business that paved the way for Basto to man the bench for the best team in BBEAL's basketball history.

The UC Jaguars made history by forcing a game three decider after pulling off a fight-marred game two which saw ejection of two Cardinals and one Jaguar from the game.

It was also a birthday gift of sort for Domingo who turned 24 at that time and became the youngest coach to win the championship in the BBEAL.

Costina, meanwhile, said once the talked is finalized, the UC Jaguars can lean on the experience of Agacer who have coached BCNHS for the past five years brining them local and regional championships. (Roderick Osis)