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How basketball mentorship gives Jong Uichico fulfillment

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ABS-CBN News

<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img alt="Coach Jong Uichico. File/PBA Media Bureau" src="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2017/sports/08/01/080117-jong.jpg"/><figcaption>Coach Jong Uichico. File/PBA Media Bureau</figcaption></figure></div>For veteran basketball coach Jong Uichico, mentoring is his way of giving back to the game. This is why he busies himself touring around the country and teaching aspiring basketball coaches who want to take their game to the next level while sharing inputs in some of the technical aspects of the game.His resumé is nothing to sneeze at.He was a member of the gold medal winning national team in the 1982 ABC Youth Championship in Manila and he was one among those elevated to play for the men’s program bankrolled by Northern Consolidated of then ambassador Danding Cojuangco. Uichico suited up for the men’s team until 1984 when the NCC first saw action as guest team in the PBA, but spent the last few years playing in the PABL before retiring for good.He went to the US to work, but got an opportunity to return to the Philippine basketball scene where he served as one of the assistant coaches of Norman Black at San Miguel in 1993.<ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/sports/08/01/17/the-lesson-gilas-coach-jong-uichico-learned-from-2002-asian-games-heartbreaker">The lesson Gilas coach Jong Uichico learned from 2002 Asian Games heartbreaker</a></li></ul>This served as his meal ticket back to the national team when Black’s team won the All-Filipino championship in 1994, allowing the Beermen to represent the country in the Asian Games. That team was later on reinforced by players from Purefoods — Alvin Patrimonio, Jerry Codinera and Rey Evangelista — while then sophomore Johnny Abarrientos was loaned by Alaska to help shore up the backcourt of the national squad. Also joining the team were Marlou Aquino, Dennis Espino and Kenneth Duremdes, who were then amateur standouts.Uichico’s national team journey didn’t stop from there as he would either serve as head coach or a part of the coaching staff for many more years.In 2001, while the Philippine men’s team was preparing for the Busan Asian Games, Ron Jacobs, a long-time mentor of Uichico, suffered a stroke.This forced Uichico to take over the head coaching job and from there on he remained a constant fixture in the Philippine men’s basketball squad.<ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/sports/12/19/21/jong-uichico-recovering-after-mild-heart-attack">Jong Uichico recovering after mild heart attack</a></li></ul>After coaching the national team in 2002, Uichico served as deputy for Chot Reyes from 2005 to 2007 in the latter’s first stint as Philippine men’s squad coach.When Yeng Guiao took over as head coach of Powerade Pilipinas in 2009, Uichico served as a scout during the squad’s campaign in the William Jones Cup.When Reyes returned as head coach in 2012, Uichico again became part of the coaching staff and stayed on in all the years Reyes was handling Gilas Pilipinas.Uichico also served as an assistant coach to Tab Baldwin when the American-Kiwi handled Gilas as well as to Tim Cone, who coached the last men’s team that won the SEA Games in 2019 in Manila.In between, Uichico has had the opportunity coaching the national squad in the Southeast Asian Games in 2013 and 2017, leading those teams to gold medal finishes.For someone who doesn’t turn his back when it comes to serving the country, there’s no greater feeling than giving back.<ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/sports/08/31/22/world-cup-hosting-comes-full-circle-in-philippines">From one Marcos presidency to another, World Cup hosting comes full circle</a></li></ul>Currently the chief of the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas’ Coaches and Technical Commission, Uichico heads both the coaches, referees, table officials and statisticians.He also tours the country to teach aspiring basketball coaches who want to take their game to the next level.His basketball clinics is highly valued and appreciated grassroots program by all SBP regions across the country as it seeks to address the uplifting of the coaching knowhow of our local coaches, especially those in the provinces.“Whenever there’s no Gilas duties, I’m with my duties with the SBP,” said Uichico. In his active role going to different provinces, Uichico was able to share some of the learnings he had to aspiring mentors.“You’re playing in the international competitions, so marami kang learnings when you’re with the national team,” he added. “You play overseas, go up against different coaches, different teams. So you learn a lot.<ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/sports/08/02/22/chot-reyes-presents-gilas-roadmap-to-2023-world-cup">Chot Reyes presents Gilas roadmap to 2023 World Cup</a></li></ul>“All the learnings I had for so many years would trickle down all the way to the grassroots coaches.”For Uichico, this new calling of him serves as probably the culminating stage of a colorful career.“Parang hand in hand, one is helping another,” added Uichico. “Being part of the Gilas team also gives credibility to all my clinics happening in different parts of the country. It’s a perfect combination.“But I think this is the most satisfying, going to the grassroots level and teaching all these coaches. I’m one of the lucky ones, so this is sone sort of a payback because somehow, medyo sinuwerte ka naman. Alam naman natin ’yung mga nasa grassroots, they want to learn also pero wala namang opportunity, so give them the opportunity by going to them.”

For veteran basketball coach Jong Uichico, mentoring is his way of giving back to the game. 