Yayoy adds new chapter to coaching legacy

RAUL “Yayoy” Alcoseba added another feather to his cap, his first Cebu Schools Athletic Foundation Inc. (Cesafi) basketball title.

It was his magic that helped the Southwestern University Cobras won the championship and his timely use of skinny point guard John Agustin Pajantoy made the difference.

Alcoseba fielded the untested Pajantoy with five minutes left to play in the third quarter, until the final buzzer.

In a crucial Game 5, fielding an untested and skinny guard was a desperation move.

But that’s just how Alcoseba works.

He loves to gamble and puts in untested players who are never a part nor factor in the elimination round or early games of the series in a deciding game.

“It was a gamble and usually it works,” Alcoseba told Sun.Star Cebu.

When Alcoseba won his first championship for Cebu Doctors’ University Stallions in the 1994 Cebu Amateur Athletic Association (CAAA) title over the Cebu Institute of Technology-University Wildcats,– he relied on the erstwhile unknown Iyo Abellanosa, who nailed the game-winning triple in the deciding match.

His second title with CDU came five years later and Alcoseba entrusted the game in the hands of Woodrow Enriquez, who was still a budding playmaker at that time.

Then the other night, it was the turn of Pajantoy.

“Nakulbaan gyud ko pagsulod nako. Gikan pa sa elimination round, bench gud ko sigi.

Pero ako lang gyud gihinumdoman ang gisulti ni coach nga never quit,” Pajantoy told Sun.Star Cebu.

Indeed he had a shaky start.

Right after he joined the Cobras inside the court, Pajantoy committed a turnover which was converted by Wowie Escocio into a basket at the other end.

But he quickly redeemed himself with a jumper at the 2:59 mark of the third that gave him confidence.

“Ingon si coach, just play your game. Nalipay ko kay nisalig siya nako,” the rookie guard added.

Pajantoy scored a total of eight points and dished out four assists—three made in the crucial fourth quarter that gave SWU the momentum.

After the game, Pajantoy was given a victory ride and at the celebrations later in that night —SWU supporters were all talking about his heroics inside the court.

“Nindot gyud kaayo akong feeling. Walay kabutangan akong kalipay. Wa ko mahibawo unsa akong buhaton. Wa ko kabalo kinsa akong pasalamatan,” he continued.

Pajantoy stepped in the position that was supposed to be Benito Ortuyo’s.

“I had no other option. I had no other player to use. Ortuyo was supposed to be the leader but he let the team down. Luckily, I still had Pajantoy, who delivered when I needed the most,” Alcoseba explained.