Yeng Guiao and the rest of the Rain or Shine Elasto Painters posted their third straight win on a nostalgic Saturday afternoon in the PBA Philippine Cup as the league returns to the Ninoy Aquino Stadium for the first time in 13 years.
But for the seven-time PBA champion coach, returning to this venue was like bringing back great memories of his humble beginnings as coach in the defunct Philippine Amateur Basketball League.
Guiao won two championships as coach of Swift, the last one of which he won 35 years ago.
“Yung mga lumang stories dito sa Ninoy Aquino, dito ako nag-umpisa mag-coach,” Guiao told PinoyStep.com. “Actually, wala pang MOA (Mall of Asia) noon. So parang dito ipinanganak yung career ko, dito sa Rizal Memorial at Ninoy Aquino Stadium.”
“Parang ganun pa rin yung feeling, parang sagrado itong lugar na ito. Hindi lang ako nagdaan dito, but also yung mga magagaling na atleta noong araw. Nagkaroon sila ng pagkakataon na mabuhay yung careers nila.”
Guiao was able to coach future PBA stars like Jojo Lastimosa, Nelson Asaytono, Vergel Meneses, Andy de Guzman, Bong Ravena and Eugene Quilba among others.
According to Guiao, it was Joey Concepcion, who gave him his first break.
“Joey Concepcion was a teammate of mine in our PBL team,” added Guiao. “He loved the game and he was a big fan of the game. I was tasked to coach that team in 1987 and 1988. I was able to coach it for three years before the team’s entry in 1990.”
But when RFM Swift decided to enter the PBA in 1990 as one of the two expansion teams along with Pepsi, it didn’t come as a surprise that Guiao was tasked to handle the team.
Thirty five years since last leading Swift Squeeze to a championship in the 1989 PABL Freedom Cup, Guiao returned to Ninoy Aquino Stadium and it proved to be a sweeter homecoming as he steered Rain or Shine to its third straight win with a 110-103 triumph over Blackwater.
