Tuesday, July 17, 2007 El Presidente to head BAP-SBP training center
WHO could be a better teacher than a person with a vast experience?
This was the basis of BAP-Samahang Baskitbol ng Pilipinas (BAP-SBP) for appointing four-time PBA MVP Ramon “El Presidente” Fernandez as the head of the BAP-SBP National Training Center for Visayas.
BAP-SBP executive director Patrick Gregorio said Fernandez had conquered all levels of basketball starting from his stint in the collegiate, to the amateur and professional ranks and even the international scene. A feat that has never been matched.
“Ramon has conquered basketball. I can’t think of any other person who could mentor and mold future basketball superstars in the Visayas than him,” Gregorio told Sun.Star Cebu yesterday.
Fernandez’s task this time, according to Gregorio, is to mold young players who can surpass or at least match his skills as the country’s most precious center of all times.
“The aim of the BAP-SBP regional training centers is to hone potential young players aged 10 to 16. Since they would be too young to leave their families for this kind of training in Manila, we designed this program so that they can stay in their regions and still enjoy quality basketball education from among the best,” added Gregorio.
An alumnus of the University of San Carlos and a former USC Warrior, Fernandez represented the country in various international events. He steered the team to a gold medal finish in the Asian Basketball Confederation (now Fiba-Asia) in 1973 and later went on to bring the team to win a silver medal in the 1990 Asian Games, when they went up against China in Beijing.
4 MVPs
Fernandez won his first MVP title in the PBA while he was with the Toyota Tamaraws in 1982. Playing with Beer-Hausen two years later, he claimed his second MVP diadem.
His third MVP award came in 1986 when he played with Tanduay Rhum Masters and his fourth was with San Miguel Beer in 1988. until now, no one has come close to matching his four-peat.
Fernandez became a 13-time member of the PBA Mythical five, made it to the PBA’s 25 Greatest Players list and was inducted into the PBA Hall of Fame in 2005.
He is considered as the center, who, with his exceptional dribbling and passing skills that made him popular, can play in all positions including the point guard’s.
As a testament to his legacy, Fernandez remains the PBA all-time leader in career points tallying 18,996 markers. He has a total career rebound record of 8,652 and total career shotblocks of 1,853.
Despite retiring in 1994, up to this moment, he remains in the top two in other areas like assists, offensive rebounds and steals.
He also has a total of 19 PBA championship titles, the most for any PBA player.
After his retirement, he became a commissioner in different leagues including the now defunct Metropolitan Basketball Association, the Champions League and the United Regional Basketball League.
Fernandez’s counterpart for the Metro Manila center is coach Eric Altamirano. (RCM)
