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PBA legends remember late Cebuano coaching legend Yayoy Alcoseba

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Rey Joble

Before he brought his wares to Manila, Jojo Lastimosa used to play in the Visayan collegiate scene as an electrifying, high-flying cager while seeing action for University of San Jose-Recoletos coached by the late Raul “Yayoy” Alcoseba.Joining Lastimosa in that star-studded USJR team were fellow PBA superstar Dondon Ampalayo, Zaldy Realubit and Apet Jao.When Lastimosa learned about the passing of his old mentor, the PBA legend was saddened and immediately shared recollections of the great times he had with the man whom he considered as probably the best amateur coach outside of Manila.“Yayoy is probably the most decorated amateur coach outside of Manila or even in the Philippines,” wrote Lastimosa in a message to ABS-CBN News. “He was one of the reasons why I became a player.”In the early 1980s, USJR became a powerhouse collegiate squad, even beating Letran bannered by the great Avelino “Samboy” Lim in the National Inter-Collegiate Championship.<div><script src="https://connect.facebook.net/en_US/sdk.js#xfbml=1&amp;version=v2.5" async="" type="text/javascript"></script></div><div class="fb-post" data-href="https://www.facebook.com/ramon.alcoseba/posts/10224317055026025" data-width="auto"> </div>“People only got familiar with us in the nation nung sumali kami sa National Inter-Collegiate. ’Yun nga, kalaban namin yung ’Letran. May mga pumasok na rin na media, kasi nga ’yung mga laro namin nasa national dailies na rin,” said Lastimosa. “That was the only time we were exposed nationally. Before that, hanggang local media lang kami sa Cebu.“Sayang nga eh, can you imagine before nag-PBA sina Samboy, bago kami nag-PBA walang video clips or TV coverage. Very precious sana ’yung mga ’yun kung may mga footages ka noon.”Alcoseba led USJR to the National Inter-Collegiate Championship in 1984.In the old PABL, Alcoseba brought in Lastimosa and allowed him to team up with Lim, Al Solis, Peter Aguilar, Apet Jao, and Jay Ramirez and the Jewelers defeated Hope Cigarette to win the Invitational Cup championship in 1986.According to Lastimosa, what made Alcoseba such a great coach was his keen eye for talent as he recruited many talented players.“Every team he has coached, he always had weapons,” added Lastimosa. “He doesn’t enter into a team where he can’t compete, that’s why almost all his teams are solid. He recruits well and manages the players well, too.“I never lost contact with him through the years. He’s not only a coach, but a dear friend.”Another cage legend who became a product of the Alcoseba stable was Elmer “Boy” Cabahug, who played for his old coach at Lhuillier in the PABL.The MVP of the 1989 PBA All-Star Game and two-time league champion recalled Alcoseba’s strong personality. “Coach Yayoy is a good motivator and coach as he always pushes his players to succeed in the championships, and encourages them to be strong in mind and body, so as to prepare them for all the challenges they will face inside and outside the court,” wrote Cabahug via Messenger.“Aside from that, he works his way to help those in need, may it be his players or the constituents as he was also a public servant. We will miss him.”Alcoseba is gone, but he’ll leave a rich basketball legacy – multi-titled coach of M. Lhuillier in tournaments in the Visayas and Mindanao, a championship with the Southwestern University Cobras in the CESAFI in 2013. In the 1980s, he also won championships for USJR.

Southern basketball exploded into the mainstream in the 1980s, thanks in large part to Yayoy Alcoseba.