USC hires Macoy as Warriors coach

CEBU, Philippines - He left the University of San Carlos (USC) as a champion Warrior in 1961, leaving a legacy highlighted by a record-establishing feat during the 1958 season when he unloaded an amazing 126 points in a single game of the defunct Cebu Amateur Athletic Association (CAAA), which is now the Cebu Schools Athletic Foundation, Inc. (CESAFI).

Now he's back as a Warrior but he will no longer wear that vintage petite and tight short pants. Instead, he will proudly don a coach's jacket adorned with bright Green and Gold colors.

In what could be another challenge bestowed upon him by his beloved alma mater, Julian Algoso Macoy was hired as head coach of the USC seniors basketball team, replacing Mike Reyes who jumped to the Southwestern University (SWU) Cobras as assistant to the legendary bench tactician Raul "Yayoy" D. Alcoseba.

The pride of Dumanjug, Cebu was formally appointed to the post last May 8. The approval came from the office of Fr. Eleno Bucia, SVD, head of the Information Resource Management (IRM) under the university's finance department. The decision was first relayed to USC athletic director Bro. Rolando Sanchez before it was finally passed on to Macoy.

To start off his massive buildup for the USC Warriors, Macoy said he will soon conduct an extensive tryout for three weeks so that by June they will be ready for the 12th CESAFI season.

Macoy, who was among the first batch of honorees enshrined into the Cebu Sports Hall of Fame in 1990, is without doubt one of the most outstanding alumni the Carolinian community has ever produced.

After playing for two years with USC in high school (1955-1957), Macoy was elevated by former Warriors coach, the late Juan "Dodong" B. Aquino, Jr., into the collegiate ranks in 1957.

In his rookie year, Macoy churned out 101 points in a game against Cebu Normal School (now Cebu Normal University). The following year, he carved another milestone that is still unsurpassed until today when he fired 126 points against the Cebu School of Arts and Trades (now Cebu Technological University).

Macoy was among the top guns when the Warriors stormed into the Final Four of the 1960 National Inter-Collegiate Championships. He later became the first cager outside Manila to earn a spot in the elite Mythical Five along with Arturo Valenzona, Romeo Diaz and Pelagio Simon of Far Eastern University (FEU) Tamaraws and Elias Tolentino of Jose Rizal College (now JRU) Heavy Bombers. 

Macoy's hardcourt brilliance became his launching pad to the commercial league where he suited up for Yutivo AC for a decade (1961-1970).

Macoy also had international stints both as a player and assistant coach. He was first named as alternate player of the Philippine Team that saw action in the 4th Asian Games in Jakarta, Indonesia in 1962.

After recuperating from injury he sustained in 1968, Macoy finally played his first official international game in 1969, forming part of the Fil-Chinese selection that ruled an invitational tournament in Pesta Sukan, Singapore.

After three decades of earning a living in the US, Macoy returned to Cebu in 2004. He immediately shot back into the hoop scene when he was picked as assistant to coach Joe Lipa in the Phl Youth (Under-20) squad. He then became the deputy commissioner of CESAFI in 2005, a position he is going to vacate now that he will embark on a new, tough challenge. - THE FREEMAN