Sean Chambers and Johnny Abarrientos, key figures of Alaska’s grand slam squad in 1996, will shore up the Far Eastern University Tamaraws’ coaching staff ahead of the coming UAAP season.
One of only two imports to be feted the award ‘Mr. 100 Performance’, a distinction he shared with two-time Best Import and PBA Hall of Famer Norman Black, Chambers was a staple in Philippine basketball where he won six championships with Alaska, including a triple crown in 1996.
Abarrientos, on the other hand, won the Most Valuable Player award in 1996 and the smallest cager ever to win the most prestigious individual plum.
But while both players had a flourishing career as players, Chambers and Abarrientos are still very much actively involved as members of the coaching staff of different teams.
Chambers coached the Antelope’s High girls basketball team, but he never disassociated himself to Philippine basketball as he has been working as a developmental coach of Alaska a few years before the franchise was sold to Converge.
Prior to the start of the PBA’s new season, Chambers also joined the training camp of TNT at the Inspire Academy.
A few years ago, Chambers also expressed interest in coaching University of Santo Tomas.
Abarrientos was also a grand slam member of San Mig Coffee of the old Purefoods franchise in 2014 and remains to be one of the assistant coaches at the Magnolia Hotshots team.
With Chambers and Abarrientos joining forces in Morayta, much are expected on the Tamaraws in the coming season.
Another former key player of the Alaska team, Jojo Lastimosa, who currently serves as team manager of TNT in the PBA, is also being wooed to join his long-time teammates at FEU.
Lastimosa and Abarrientos used to be with the coaching staff of the Tamaraws for the past few years.
A champion coach in the PBA, Lastimosa revealed to PinoyStep.com that he is still seeking approval from the Tropang Giga management on plans of joining his old pals at FEU.
“Mark Molina jokingly hinted of recalling me, but I need to clear to with my bosses,” added Lastimosa. “Sean’s appointment came at a right time because his kids are off to college and he’s close to pension age.”
