Elmer Cabahug’s dream

LAPU-LAPU CITY, Cebu — Two-time PBA champion Elmer Cabahug comes from a line of well-known Cebuano basketball players. The third in his family to receive an award as an outstanding Cebuano athlete, he entered the PBA draft in 1989 and was picked by Alaska. The following season, he was traded to Purefoods for Jojo Lastimosa. Both became champions soon after. Cabahug went on to play for Pepsi and Sta. Lucia Realty and win the 1989 PBA All-Star Game MVP Award before returning to his birthplace here.

He has served as city councilor (a family tradition), been a coach of the University of the Visayas Green Lancers, and lately, helped his son Mikey organize their first big local 3X3 tournament. He never coerced his children to play basketball, but happily, they took up the sport. After eight years, Mikey returned to professional play in The Asian Tournament here at the Lapu-Lapu Hoops Dome last week. It brought back a lot of feelings for Boy, who was always divided between being Dad and coach when watching his kids play.

“I get nervous, apprehensive,” he laughs. “I expect them to do things a certain way, because that’s what I experienced and it worked. So when they do it differently, I ask them why. Usually it’s the coach. But I tell them, when it’s a tight situation, make your own decisions.”

Boy explains that one thing that separates Visayan players from players in the NCR is their ability to make things up on the fly. Most players here come from street play and community leagues, where they learn to improvise. Often, they catch Metro Manila-based teams by surprise.

“When they play against teams from Manila, they’re hard to figure out,” he explains. “College and commercial teams in Manila are very systematic. Here in the Visayas, players get used to having no plays at all, and just creating on their own.”

But if there is one thing Elmer Cabahug wishes for Cebu basketball, it’s a return to the days when there were big commercial leagues here, so players would have the option to stay and not have to uproot.

“My dream is for there to be big commercial tournament here to bring all the talent together,” he says. “The players will be able to stay and have a career at home, and we will all be better for it.”

Elmer Cabahug tells his story on Basketball Universe PHL tonight, on YouTube and Facebook. Like, share and subscribe now.