JERRY CODIÑERA

The Legend of The Defense Minister 3 October 1989 | Most Blocks by a PBA Player: 11

Jerry Codiñera’s name will always be remembered alongside his frontcourt teammate and fellow hardcourt legend Alvin Patrimonio. While Captain Lion Heart got the lion’s share of MVPs and offensive responsibilities, the Defense Minister played the role of perfect partner, focusing on how his game could complement the former’s game to a T.

While Patriminio posted by the paint, Codiñera hovered by the elbow—a prelude to the high-low action by the Duncan-Robinson and Webber-Divac pairings in the late 90s to the 2000s NBA. Jerry was a big man with a good-to-great 18-foot jumper—a skill two decades too early for the Philippine game, and an advantage his team benefited from. He probably figured having that outside shot would draw the opposing team’s big men out of the paint and—if they were half as decent in defense as he was—halve their ability to patrol around the basket.

He actually probably knew. After all, Jerry was a 9-time all-defensive team selection and the league’s

PBA Defensive Player of the Year in 1994, to anchor his resumé as a five-time champion and 11-time all-star.

But, while his name is almost always mentioned along Patrimonio’s, Codiñera made sure to stand out in that one legendary game almost 30 years ago.

In a game against San Miguel Beer on October 3, 1989, Jerry Codiñera posted a record that stands to this day: most blocks in a single PBA game. While at present he wishes today’s big men like 5-time MVP Fajardo and Greg Slaughter would break his record, he relishes blocking 11 (eleven!) shots, including a series of them on American import Keith Smart.

Jerry’s #44 jersey was retired by the Purefoods (Magnolia) franchise five years ago. Fortunately for today’s players, it doesn’t hover over the Smart Araneta Coliseum’s hardcourt—the sight of it might elicit 30-year-old memories of the legend of the Defense Minister ready to swat their shots.