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That rare time Samboy, Jolas played under one team that led to PABL title

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Rey Joble

At the 1986 Asian Games, Samboy Lim, Allan Caidic, Elmer Reyes, and Jerry Codiñera were among the holdovers of the national team program previously handled by the late Ambassador Eduardo “Danding” Cojuangco under the Northern Consolidated stable.Jojo Lastimosa was among the rising stars and likely to take over the spot of Lim, who was about to join the PBA late that year.Lastimosa was a reliever to Lim, but looking back, the Visayan star and the rest of his teammates at University of San Jose-Recolletos beat the more illustrious NCC star when their collegiate teams collided for the National Inter-Collegiate Championship a few years later.“ ’Yung lineup namin sa San Jose-Recolletos noon was top-notched,” Lastimosa told ABS-CBN News. “It was the best in the nation in terms of college basketball and we beat the best team in Manila, which is Letran at that time. They had Samboy, Romy Ang, Jerry Gonzales, Tino Pinat.” But on a rare occasion, “Jolas” and “The Skywalker” would team up for the Lhuillier Jewelers squad, which ruled the 1986 PABL Invitational Tournament.Lim and Lastimosa – who ended up on the Mythical Team along with Lhuillier teammate Al Solis, Allan Caidic of ESQ Marketing, and Ato Agustin of Hope Cigarette – would power the Yayoy Alcoseba-coached Jewelers to the championship.After posting a 7-0 win-loss record in the elimination round, the Jewelers stream-rolled their way to the finals and went all the way to the crown, defeating the Agustin and Leo Isaac-led Cigarettes.Looking back, Lastimosa relished this rare opportunity to play alongside Lim, who would later on become his long-time rival in the PBA.That Lhuillier squad was so good that Lastimosa felt the team could have beaten a PBA squad at that time.“We knew we had a good team even if we were Cebu based or dayo lang,” added Lastimosa. “We’re good enough compete versus PBA teams at that time.”That Lhuillier squad was loaded with Lim, Lastimosa, and Solis leading the way, and former national team player Harmon Codiñera, Peter Aguilar, a young Apet Jao, Jun Tan and Jess Ramirez providing support to beef up the core of the team.“That was a PBA lineup team,” said Lastimosa. “That was a really solid team. We had a really good point guard in Al. I was playing at 2 and Samboy was playing at 3. Then si Peter Aguilar nasa gitna namin, then si Peter Jao andu’n pa.“I remember when we were in Cebu, we went up against PBA teams we invited over there and we would give them a run for their money.”

An amateur squad in the 1980s starring Lim and himself, along with a cast of big-league-worthy players, could have beaten a PBA team, Lastimosa says.