Vanguardia's destiny

Jose Rizal University (JRU) senior men’s basketball coach Ariel Vanguardia is a perfect fit for the Heavy Bombers varsity. It’s like he was destined to sit on the JRU bench.

“I was born in 1972, the year Jose Rizal won its last NCAA championship with players like Philip Cezar and Ed Carvajal,” said Vanguardia. “It’s my mission to bring back the championship to Jose Rizal. The fact that I was born the year of Jose Rizal’s last championship must mean something. It could be destiny.”

Vanguardia, 36, took over the Bombers coaching reins from Boy de Vera a week before the start of the 2006 season. In his baptism of fire, Vanguardia piloted Jose Rizal to sixth place with six wins. The next year, the Bombers booked a Final Four appearance and wound up third with nine wins. This season, Jose Rizal finished second to San Beda College with 12 wins.

Now that Vanguardia’s coaching contract has expired, will Jose Rizal management reward him for his accomplishments? He is now in renewal talks with school president Vicente Fabella and athletic director Paul Supan.

In the recent NCAA Finals, Jose Rizal extended the Red Lions to the distance before succumbing. 

“We were first to reach the Finals,” said Vanguardia who earned a Business Management degree at La Salle in 1994. “We lost to San Beda in Game 1 by four and we missed seven free throws in the fourth quarter. But two days later, we won by two because San Beda was really tired. They won a knockout playoff to make it to the Finals on Monday, played Game 1 on Wednesday and Game 2 on Friday. They were rested by the time we played Game 3 on Monday. In the end, it was San Beda’s championship experience that beat us. They deserved the championship but I give credit to my boys for their effort to go to the Finals and force a Game 3.”

Vanguardia said he will lose Jason Nocom and Maui Pradas to graduation next season but retains the likes of James Sena, John Wilson, Marc Cagoco and two-time Mythical Five pick Marvin Hayes. A new recruit is 6-8 Etamej Joe of Cameroon who was recommended by point guard Erchotu John Njei.

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In the PBL which opens this Saturday, Vanguardia will call the shots for Toyota Otis whose lineup consists of players from JRU, La Salle, Mapua, Adamson and Letran, among others. His mainstays include Sena, J. V. Casio, James and Allan Mangahas, Eric Rodriguez, Bryan Facundo, Patrick Cabahug and former pro Jonathan Aldave. A rookie is 5-11 Chris Timberlake of the University of South Florida. Timberlake’s rights were acquired in the PBL dispersal draft after Noosa Shoes begged off from playing this season.

It is Vanguardia’s second year at the Toyota helm. His staff made up of Lito Vergara, Cesar Polhen, John Aquino and Franco Atienza is the same for both JRU and Toyota. The teams practice back-to-back at the Bombers’ new gym.

“Jose Rizal practices from 5:30 a.m. to about 8:30 then Toyota takes over up to 10:30,” said Vanguardia. “We use plyometrics to work on the players’ explosiveness and we’re lucky John (Aquino) is Kirk Collier’s assistant.”

Collier is known as the plyometrics guru.

Vanguardia said he was listed in La Salle’s Team B but never made it to Team A during his college days. Another Team B player Boris Aldeguer was recently appointed to coach Perpetual in the NCAA.

“Boris and I were together in Team B and we never went up,” said Vanguardia. “It’s like we were meant to be benchwarmers because now, that’s our job as coaches. I’m happy for Boris because Perpetual is supporting his three-year development plan. I congratulated him for his appointment. Next season, we’ll be coaching against each other in the NCAA.”

Vanguardia got his first break in coaching when Bong Go picked him as an assistant at St. Benilde in 1997. Then, he joined Louie Alas with the Manila Metrostars in the MBA and the national team that won the Southeast Asian Games title in Brunei in 1999. Alas brought Vanguardia along to Mobiline in the PBA. Vanguardia ended up staying with the PBA franchise for six years under Alas, Bill Bayno, Paul Woolpert and Joel Banal. It was Banal who recommended Vanguardia for the JRU job.

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“I owe my coaching career to coaches Bong, Louie and Joel,” he said.  “Bayno gave me a big break when he took me in as his assistant. I’m also grateful to St. Benilde for sending me to Duke University for a coaching camp. I’ve gone to other US camps on my own to learn from icons like John Wooden, Doc Rivers and Pat Summit. I’m in constant communication with Australian national coach Brian Goorjian. I try to keep updated on the latest coaching trends from all over the world. I’m thankful for the support of JRU management, Mr. Fabella, Mr. Supan and our elders Mr. Delfin Asistio and Mr. Chris Cayetano.”

Vanguardia said his coaching philosophy is simple.

“I stay close to my players,” he said. “I develop a close personal relationship with them. I try to bring out the best in them. Like coach Mike K, I believe in living with the heart. I use a balanced approach of offense and defense. My PBA training has helped me a lot in coaching in the NCAA and PBL. In college, the players are still maturing and I’m thankful for the opportunity of being able to mold them for the future.”

Vanguardia has big plans and high hopes for JRU. The Heavy Bombers couldn’t be in better hands.

Postscript: The works of new generation artists Ernie Gomez (paintings) and Bhumbo Villanueva (sculptures) will be on exhibit in Le Souffle at the Rockwell Club, Makati, starting with cocktails this Saturday. Art and Beyond, a company owned by the family of Bert and Ellen Villarama, is mounting the exhibit called “A Celebration of Life.” Masterpieces of both artists will be on sale at the exhibit which runs up to Nov. 30. Fire and water depict the use of two components in their works. Gomez and Villanueva polished their craft as apprentices with the country’s best. Villanueva’s father Ben Hur has works at the Calaroega Church in Batangas, did the three-figure “Supremo” at the Fort and was recently commissioned for five sculptures at the Botannical Gardens to celebrate Baguio City’s centennial. Auty Villarama said Art and Beyond is committed “to showcase expressions of life’s simplicities through everyday works of art that quietly bring into our homes and workplaces refreshing reflections on why all things created are works of art.”