By Ivan Saldajeno
SAN JUAN, MM--Alvin Patrimonio was seen sitting at the NU bench during their FilOil Flying V Preseason Premier Cup match against CSB on Wednesday night.
It turned out, the PBA legend has a specific role for the team.
"He's part of our coaching staff. He just came in. His job is to help our bigs. We have a lot of bigs who are still young and needs his guidance. He's a big help," Coach Eric Altamirano told some sportswriters why Patrimonio, who last year was part of UST's coaching staff, was on the Bulldogs' bench after their win.
Patrimonio later confirmed what Altamirano said.
"One day kinontak ako ni Coach Eric at yung team manager, si Boss Manny Sy, 'Sabi ni Boss Hans Sy, "Kailangan ng big man coach kasi magiging strength ng team ang post."' Since malapit na rin sa puso ko ang NU because andoon ang daughters ko, in-accept ko yung offer at yung chance to be with them," the "Captain" told Dugout Philippines later Wednesday.
Meanwhile, he admitted that he accepted the NU offer after sensing that UST could take a different path following recent internal issues.
[Related Story: UST launches investigation on Tigers amidst swirling rumors]
"Nagkaroon lang ako ng opportunity [na tanggapin yun] kasi baka iba na rin ang direction ng UST," Patrimonio, who joined the Growling Tigers to help Coach Bong Dela Cruz handle the big men like his new job at the other side of Sampaloc.
Dela Cruz came under fire last January after reports of him allegedly abusing some of his players surfaced although he later denied the accusations.
[Related Story: Dela Cruz denies harsh player treatment claims]
On the other hand, Patrimonio expects his new task as an associate to Altamirano to be smooth considering their familiarity to each other.
"Syempre close na rin tayo kay Coach Eric," said Patrimonio, who paced the offensive for Star, then known as Purefoods Corned Beef, en route to winning the championship in the 1997 PBA Philippine Cup, Altamirano's first conference as their coach. Patrimonio, despite the new NU job, retains his post as the Hotshots' team manager.
In his first game as NU's big man coach, Patrimonio had to groom Matt Aquino in a game where Alfred Aroga and Issa Gaye had to sit out.
Despite finding a hard time to score against the Blazers' new towering recruit Clement Leutcheu, the transfer student-athlete from Adamson made up for it through his defense, grabbing seven rebounds and blocking four shots as the Bulldogs hacked out a 59-54 win.
[Related Story: NU survives CSB challenge for FilOil win no. 1]
"[He needs] more maturity and kailangan [niyang mag-]go hard palagi because wala si Alfred [at si Issa] so dapat siyang mag-step up. Ito yung exposure na need niya para come UAAP ready na siya for the big battle, but nakakatuwa yung bata--masipag, nakikinig," Patrimonio evaluated the performance of the son of Marlou Aquino, his teammate with the 1998 RP Centennial Team that bagged the bronze in the Asian Games.
Meanwhile, he also bared that the NU guards are also impressed by how he train Aquino, Aroga, Gaye, and the rest of the bigs that he said the guards also want to join them.
"Sabi ko, 'Panoorin niyo na lang yung mga drills na ginagawa namin. Magagamit niyo rin sa game yun," the twinner forward told Dugout Philippines what he said to the guards while observing the big men training.
Patrimonio believes the Bulldogs, despite losing most of the key players from their 2014 champion team, can make at least a Final Four run in this year's UAAP wars.
Follow him on Twitter: @IvanSaldajeno
[Related Story: UST launches investigation on Tigers amidst swirling rumors]
"Nagkaroon lang ako ng opportunity [na tanggapin yun] kasi baka iba na rin ang direction ng UST," Patrimonio, who joined the Growling Tigers to help Coach Bong Dela Cruz handle the big men like his new job at the other side of Sampaloc.
Dela Cruz came under fire last January after reports of him allegedly abusing some of his players surfaced although he later denied the accusations.
[Related Story: Dela Cruz denies harsh player treatment claims]
On the other hand, Patrimonio expects his new task as an associate to Altamirano to be smooth considering their familiarity to each other.
"Syempre close na rin tayo kay Coach Eric," said Patrimonio, who paced the offensive for Star, then known as Purefoods Corned Beef, en route to winning the championship in the 1997 PBA Philippine Cup, Altamirano's first conference as their coach. Patrimonio, despite the new NU job, retains his post as the Hotshots' team manager.
In his first game as NU's big man coach, Patrimonio had to groom Matt Aquino in a game where Alfred Aroga and Issa Gaye had to sit out.
Despite finding a hard time to score against the Blazers' new towering recruit Clement Leutcheu, the transfer student-athlete from Adamson made up for it through his defense, grabbing seven rebounds and blocking four shots as the Bulldogs hacked out a 59-54 win.
[Related Story: NU survives CSB challenge for FilOil win no. 1]
"[He needs] more maturity and kailangan [niyang mag-]go hard palagi because wala si Alfred [at si Issa] so dapat siyang mag-step up. Ito yung exposure na need niya para come UAAP ready na siya for the big battle, but nakakatuwa yung bata--masipag, nakikinig," Patrimonio evaluated the performance of the son of Marlou Aquino, his teammate with the 1998 RP Centennial Team that bagged the bronze in the Asian Games.
Meanwhile, he also bared that the NU guards are also impressed by how he train Aquino, Aroga, Gaye, and the rest of the bigs that he said the guards also want to join them.
"Sabi ko, 'Panoorin niyo na lang yung mga drills na ginagawa namin. Magagamit niyo rin sa game yun," the twinner forward told Dugout Philippines what he said to the guards while observing the big men training.
Patrimonio believes the Bulldogs, despite losing most of the key players from their 2014 champion team, can make at least a Final Four run in this year's UAAP wars.
Follow him on Twitter: @IvanSaldajeno
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