All systems go for Ilocos Sur five

With two former pros in the lineup, the Ilocos Sur team is ready to rumble in its National Basketball League (NBL) debut against Laguna on Oct. 24.

Coach Mario Quitoriano and former Metropolitan Basketball Association (MBA) center Jeffrey Flowers are working feverishly to put up a competitive squad on the floor. Ilocos Sur Gov. D. V. Savellano is pulling no stops in backing up the team whose stalwarts are Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) veterans Kenny Evans and Oliver Agapito.

Not too many fans know that American Bill Rosmarino, a long-time local resident who speaks fluent Pilipino and Ilonggo, is responsible for organizing the team. He prefers to stay away from the limelight, laboring quietly behind the scenes.

Rosmarino, 27, says his passion for the game inspired him to assemble the Ilocos Sur team as a pilot for a grassroots basketball program he hopes to introduce in other provinces like Pangasinan, Tarlac, La Union and Ilocos Norte.

"We’re looking to transfer technology," he explains. "We’re hoping to create a working program on all levels of amateur basketball in the provinces–from camps, schools and city leagues to the NBL. Our goal is to immerse our team in all aspects of basketball. Our dream is to mold our players into ambassadors of the game. We want to nurture the youth through a program that enhances skill and teaches discipline, camaraderie and unity."

For Ilocos Sur, Rosmarino got together a bunch of ex-pros and collegiate stars with recruits from the University of Northern Philippines (UNP). The team is a mix of veterans and provincial stars.

Aside from Agapito and Evans, Rosmarino brought in Jerome Barbosa of San Sebastian, ex-MBA forward Kalani Ferreria, Kenneth Gumpenberger of California State at San Bernardino, Caloy Sillona of Letran, Tony Reyes of Queensland University Tech, Ben Yulo of the University of Negros Occidental-Recoletos (UNO-R) and Francis Machica of Marine College.

Rosmarino says some of his recruits took pay cuts from other leagues for the chance to play on the same team and train hopefuls in the countryside.

The UNP players are Macky Radagi, Rogelio de la Rosa, Ramsy Cabradilla, Mark Quitoriano and B. J. Palma. They survived grueling tryouts that brought in 34 aspirants from all over the province.

Rosmarino says the team, through the Ilocos Sur Provincial Sports Development Program, has paid the P200,000 fee to play in the NBL’s coming conference.

Rosmarino is the son of Christian missionary parents Joseph and Billie who came to the Philippines in 1988 when he was only 12. The Rosmarino family now lives here permanently. His parents take care of about 150 kids at the Calvary Chapel orphanage in Bacolod. His sister Elizabeth is a Cebu Institute of Medicine graduate and works as a missionary doctor in Bohol with her Filipino husband Kenneth Bondoc, a former La Salle Bacolod cager. Rosmarino is married to a Filipina, Joann Trinidad, with two sons William, 3, and Nathan, 11 months.

Rosmarino himself played basketball at UNO-R. Gimpy knees forced his premature retirement from competitive hoops. He is the agent of PBA players Eric Menk, Rudy Hatfield, Dorian Peña, Rafi Reavis, Mike Cortez, Brandon Cablay, Alex Crisano, Rob Duat and Jon Ordonio. Jay-Jay Helterbrand and James Wallkvist were his clients. Rosmarino also represents Alaska coach Tim Cone.

Basketball is an avocation for Rosmarino who manages the construction company Rock and Brooks, a specialist in building theme parks, golf courses and private residences. Profit isn’t a driving force for Rosmarino who’s helping out the Ilocos Sur team for free.

Basketball isn’t only a passion for Rosmarino. It’s also his mission in life. In a broad sense, Rosmarino is doing missionary work in spreading the gospel of hoops throughout the countryside.