MANILA, 4 January — The Philippines’ hopes of forming a national team that is capable of reclaiming the basketball gold in the Asian Games in Pusan, South Korea, have absorbed a big blow when national coach Ron Jacobs suffered a stroke last Dec. 23.
The American multi-titled bench strategist was driving home after lunch when he suffered a "mild" stroke and was immediately rushed to the hospital.
But make no mistake about it, Jacobs is recovering well, allaying fears that he would be leaving his job at a time when the process of forming one competitive national quintet is getting off in earnest.
"He’s on his way to recovery," said Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) commissioner Jun Bernardino. "He will remain to be and will be the coach of the national team."
Bernardino also appealed to the public to pray for Jacobs’ speedy recovery.
"Of course, prayers do help so let’s just pray for Ron’s speedy recovery," he said.
Bernardino made it clear that Jacobs will remain as national coach, saying that the PBA is neither inclined to think about replacing him, nor tapping an acting coach.
"It is farthest from our minds that Ron can’t coach the national team," said Bernardino, stressing that the league is looking at the situation with a positive eye, "right now, we just hope for the best."
Bernardino has personally picked Jacobs to form, train and supervise the national team to the prestigious regional competition set in September to try to regain the Asian basketball title from the firm grip of the mighty Chinese.
The 59-year-old Jacobs, who was chosen by the PBA over Shell coach Perry Ronquillo due to his impressive record in international competitions, has been given the free-hand to form the national team.
He has so far named a 16-man team to the national pool. Another team will be formed during a series of tryouts this month before he finally decides to select the 12 players plus two alternates who will don the national jerseys to the quadrennial meet.
Jacobs has been confined at the ICU (intensive care unit) at the St. Luke’s Hospital in Quezon City, and he remains on the road to recovery. Currently, he’s still under close supervision at the ICU.
He is making good progress, and is responding well to treatment. Although his stroke is considered a mild one, he still remains in isolation and a "no-visitors" order is strictly being observed.
The Los Angeles, California native was initially hooked up to a respirator, but has reportedly been responding to questions, according to Bernardino, adding Jacobs’ mental faculties are fine.
Likewise, doctors attending to him said the Barangay Ginebra consultant was conscious, and his mind is "as sharp as ever," adding that the mild attack won’t impair his speech.
"His condition is steadily improving," said San Miguel coach Jong Uichico, one of Jacobs’ assistants on the national squad. "He has been positively acknowledging doctor’s instructions, so that is a good sign. He is responding to treatment."
Jacobs underwent a CT scan last week, and is scheduled for another one this week.
Based on the first CT scan conducted on him by his attending doctors at St. Luke’s, Jacobs is, indeed, making "good progress".
"The findings on Ron’s first CT scan showed that he remains stable. That’s a good sign," Uichico said.
"We really need him," said Uichico of his former mentor and team consultant, echoing the general sentiment over Jacobs’ ability of piloting the national team to the Asiad gold.
Uichico said the no-visitors-allowed rule remains strictly imposed by Jacobs’ doctors "so as not to disrupt his recuperation."
If, in case, doctors won’t allow him to get back on the job that soon, his assistants will be ready to take over temporarily.
Among his lieutenants, aside from Uichico, are Allan Caidic of Ginebra, and Eric Altamirano of Purefoods. Also in the coaching staff are Cris Calilan, Binky Favis, Siot Tanquincen, George Ella, Ronnie Magsanoc and Boyzie Zamar.
The former San Miguel coach handled the rigorous tryouts among PBA, Metropolitan Basketball Association (MBA) and Philippine Basketball League (PBL) standouts at the Moro Lorenzo Complex from Dec. 10-15.
He will resume tryouts for the two candidate teams on Jan. 7 at the same venue.
Among the 17 players he picked from the PBA are Erik Menk, Paul Asi Taulava, Danny Ildefonso, the Seigle brothers, Andy and Danny, Kenneth Duremdes, Marlou Aquino, Dennis Espino, EJ Feihl, Jeffrey Cariaso, Rudy Hatfield, Ali Peek, Davonn Harp, Mick Pennisi, Noy Castillo, Chris Jackson and Don Camaso.
Other players who are fighting for berths are Mark Caguioa, Olsen Racela, Dondon Hontiveros, Nic Belasco, Dorian Pena, Edward Juinio, Boyet Fernandez and Johnny Abarrientos.
From the MBA and PBL, the other contenders are Chris Clay, Vince Hizon, Rommel Adducul, Mike Cortez and Ren-ren Ritualo.
The two national squads that will be formed by Jacobs will see action in the PBA Commissioner’s Cup, in which the 10 ballclubs will be allowed to field two imports with a combined height of no more than 13 feet.
In choosing Jacobs as coach, the PBA believes Jacobs is the best for the job, regardless of racial bias. Jacobs has spent the last 20 years of his life to the development of Philippine basketball.
With the help of then Ambassador and current San Miguel Corporation chairman Danding Cojuangco, steered numerous national teams to regional crowns in the 80s.
He holds the rare distinction of coaching the Philippine team that beat perennial regional champion China twice in international competitions: in the finals of the 1985 Jones Cup tournament in Taipei, and in the Asian Basketball Confederation (ABC) championship in 1986, which turned out to be the country’s last major regional crown.
For the record, the Philippines has not won the basketball gold in the Asian Games since 1962. China, on the other hand, has not been beaten in the Asian Games since 1986.
In Pusan, the Philippine team will be facing a gigantic task to reclaim regional supremacy in a sport the Filipinos passionately give top priority.
Aside from China and perennial title contender South Korea, other countries like Lebanon, Syria, Japan and Chinese-Taipei, have improved their brand of play immensely, and could pose credible threat to the Philippines’ most ambitious bid to win the gold.
Samboy Lim, who has been one of Jacobs’ most dependable wards in many international competitions in the 80s, said he was shocked and saddened over what happened to his former mentor.
"It came as a shock because coach Ron takes good care of his health," said Lim, who played a vital cog in the Philippine team’s title conquest in the ABC Championships in Ipoh, Malaysia, in 1986 under Jacobs’ tutelage.
Lim, who has electrified the basketball public with his assortment of gravity-defying moves toward the basket that earned for him the monicker "Skywalker" in the PBA, said he was praying hard for Jacobs’ recovery.
"Questions regarding coaching must be set for a while. It’s too stressful. Coach Ron needs to recover first," he said.
The 6-foot-1 Lim, 39, first played for the multititled Northern Consolidated team being coached by Jacobs.
His contemporaries included Allan Caidic, Hector Calma, Yves Dignadice, Jerry CodiNera, Franz Pumaren, Pido Jarencio, Jeffrey Graves, Louie Brill, Teody Alfarero and the late Alfie Almario.
Lim caught Jacobs’ attention when he steered Letran College to the NCAA championship in the early 80s. Lim rose to fame rapidly owing to his exploits in international tournaments under Jacobs.
His career in the pro league was hampered by an assortment of injuries while playing for San Miguel.
