DANDING COJUANGCO CONGRATULATES MVP FOR HIS SUPPORT FOR BASKETBALL, MAKES SUGGESTIONS
By Ronnie Nathanielsz
PhilBoxing.com
Mon, 15 Aug 2016
San Miguel Corporation chairman Eduardo "Danding" Cojuangco has congratulated Manny Pangilinan for his support for the Philippine National Basketball Team but maintained that basketball "is a matter of height and if you don't have height, it's almost impossible to succeed in international competitions" such as The Olympic Games and the FIBA World Cup.
He commended Manny Pangilinan for his commitment to the national basketball team and told The Standard "at least the guy funding it now is doing his best and deserves congratulations for that."
Among Cojuangco who was Project Director for basketball during the time of President Marcos in which the San Miguel Beer national team beat the mighty United States in an epic overtime game in July 1985 with Alan "The Triggerman" Caidic and "The Skywalker" Samboy Lim along with naturalized shooting star Chip Engellnd hitting big three-point shots in the extension to win by one point which he described as a thrilling game where "let's say we got lucky."
The US squad had eight players who were subsequently drafted into the NBA.
Jacobs also coached the Youth Team led by Hector Calma that earlier beat China in the Asian Championships at the Araneta Coliseum before a huge crowd and steered the Philippines to the Asian Basketball Confederation championships beating China in Kuala Lumpur in the finals in early 1986.
He maintained that "the credit for these accomplishments must go Ron Jacobs, our coach. He mentored the boys, trained them well, he motivated them very well and the result was quite satisfying."
Cojuangco said the Gilas Cadet Program is "in the right direction" but said he thinks "the players must live abroad and get used to playing against big guys all the time."
Danding admitted "it's a hard call, not easy and it's not cheap."
He also suggested that the national team "get a good coach we can all agree to, get businessmen to support the team and get players permanently for the Olympic team" similar to the team coached by the brilliant American mentor Ron Jacobs whose passing after being in a coma for 12 years was "sad and painful."
He said Jacobs was "unfortunately short on luck and passed away in a not too nice way, being in a coma for 12 years before God took him. How very sad."
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Ronnie Nathanielsz.
Recent PhilBoxing.com In-House articles:
Junior, Youth and Elite Divisions Awarded on Final Day of 2025 USA Boxing National Championships
Mon, 15 Dec 2025Jean Henri Lhuillier Applauds Cebuana Lhuillier Ambassadors for Bronze Finish at SEA Games 2025
Mon, 15 Dec 2025NOEL MIKAELIAN DETHRONES BADOU JACK TO BECOME THE NEW WBC CRUISERWEIGHT WORLD CHAMPION
Sun, 14 Dec 2025FM Alekhine Nouri tops Kamatyas chessfest
By Marlon Bernardino, Sun, 14 Dec 2025Dante Kirkman Dominates DePriest Johnson in Unanimous Victory at Fight Club OC
Sun, 14 Dec 2025Bantam and Intermediate Divisions Crowned on Day Five of 2025 USA Boxing National Championships
Sun, 14 Dec 2025Murat Gassiev Brutally Knocks Out Kubrat Pulev in Dubai
By Dong Secuya, Sat, 13 Dec 2025United States Air Force Paralegals: Law, Order, and Excellence
By Emmanuel Rivera, RRT, Sat, 13 Dec 2025OFFICIAL WEIGHTS AND RUNNING ORDER FOR PACHECO VS SADJO IN STOCKTON
Sat, 13 Dec 2025OFFICIAL WEIGHTS FROM TODAY'S CHM: 2 REMATCH SEASON CEREMONIAL WEIGH-INS IN DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES
Sat, 13 Dec 2025Donaire to fight Tsutsumi on December 17 in Japan
By Lito delos Reyes, Sat, 13 Dec 2025Nesthy faces Indon legend
By Joaquin Henson, Sat, 13 Dec 2025Bob Santos Joins Broadcast Team for Boxlab Promotions’ “Night of Champions XIII” During WBA’s 104th Annual Convention
Sat, 13 Dec 2025Championship Bouts Set for the Bantam and Intermediate Division
Sat, 13 Dec 2025SEAG Triathlon, aquathlon, duathlon in Rayong
By Lito delos Reyes, Sat, 13 Dec 2025