Chito Victolero proves he belongs to the big league
Many diehard Purefoods fans are still hurt losing the winningest coach in PBA history and the most popular player of the decade. James Yap is acknowledged as the next most precious player the franchise ever had after The Captain Alvin Patrimonio, who was recognized as the face of the Purefoods squad.
For 13 seasons, Yap made his mark in the old Purefoods franchise, winning seven championships on top his two Most Valuable Player awards. It’s no surprise that his departure left many fans heartbroken as they’ve associated the player with the brand itself.
In exchange for Yap was Paul Lee, a young, dynamic guard who proved to be a good fit to the guard-oriented system being ran at the Star Hotshots camp.
Yap’s absence was hardly a factor inside the court. Perhaps, it could be felt on the marketing side, but when winning games have become vital in restoring the legacy of this proud franchise, bringing in Lee proved to be a logical choice. The bigger shoes to fill was more on the coaching side. Tim Cone helped steer the franchise to five championships capped by a rare grand slam and was ready to turn the team in building its own dynasty. In the old Purefoods franchise, the American mentor was able to break records — his own feat and the one being held by his coaching idol, Baby Dalupan.
He was assigned to coach Barangay Ginebra last season and quickly, he was able to weave his magic touch in giving the Gin Kings their first championship in eight years.
But while Barangay Ginebra rediscovered the winning philosophy under the modern day maestro, Star struggled under new coach Jason Webb, who truly found out that Cone’s shoes is too big to fill.
This season, Star brought in a new coach in Chito Victolero, whose experience of coaching in the big league was a brief one while serving as defacto mentor of Kia each time eight-division boxing world championturned basketball coach Manny Pacquiao would miss his team’s game.
But Victolero is a serious student game and he had proven that in the first two conferences he had been with the franchise.
In just his first conference, he laid out the blue print for success, turning the Hotshots into a guard-oriented, fast-pace, and defensiveminded squad.
Under Victolero’s watch, Star was able to go one game away from reaching the championship round of the Philippine Cup and in the Commissioner’s Cup, he would continue to impose his new found winning philosophy to the team.
Star ended up in a three-way tie for the lead with sister teams Barangay Ginebra and San Miguel Beer at 9-2. The Hotshots didn’t get the twice-tobeat because of their inferior quotient, but Victolero doesn’t mind.
He knows his team has a good fighting chance of contending in the playoffs where they play the sixth-seeded squad next.
In two conferences, Victolero proved he belongs to the big league. He may not have the same eloquence of veteran coaches like Yeng Guiao, Chot Reyes, Alex Compton and Cone, but he knows his basketball — one brought by experience of playing, spending hours of studying be it riding on the bench or research.
For sure, Victolero could become better in the same way Star would become a better team under his tutelage.
Make no mistake about it, Star is definitely for real and the team is ready to make another run — for the crown.