Forty years after last winning a championship on local soil, legendary mentor Larry Albano returned to the Philippines as a champion.
The legendary mentor of three-peat champion Letran Knights from 1982 to 1984 was head of the delegation of the North America team represented by NABA Intercity, a group which he founded, that won the championship in the Born 2008 division of the recent PSL Global Championship Challenge, a fitting homecoming for the man who is no stranger to winning.
“I’m having goosebumps,” said Albano, who coached the likes of future PBA legend, the late Avelino “Samboy” Lim, Romy Ang and Jerry Gonzales among others when the Knights won three straight championships in the NCAA.
“But this is definitely a good experience for the kids. We’ve dreamed about this for a long, long time. For many of them, this is the first time for them to visit the Philippines and played in front of their friends and families.”
The first ever Global Championship Challenge is the flagship event of the Pilipinas Super League, which successfully staged the President’s Cup early this year, but came up with a vision of creating not just a nationwide tournament for young players, but also involved Pinoy hoopers in different age categories — 16-under, 18-under and 20-under — based overseas to take part in this international event.
Aside from North America, other international teams which competed were Canada-GIGG, Italy, UK-KAMPI Basketball, Thailand-Traill International School and New Zealand Fil Nation Select and the representatives of the Philippines, which won the qualifying event for the Global Championship Challenge — national champions Pampanga-Luid (Born 2008), Cebu-USJR (Born 2006) and Davao City-NTB Wolves (Born 2004).
It was a fitting welcome for Albano, who after leading Letran to winning three straight championships in the NCAA, went to the United States where he formed NABA Intercity, catering cities from North America and Canada.
There was a time when he turned down offers to coach a team in the pro league as he was more focused on building his family overseas.
Albano looks forward to the next staging of the PSL Global Championship Challenge, which is being planned to be hosted by the United States, but if the legendary mentor will have it his way, he wants the event to happen on Philippine soil once more as such event serves as a perfect opportunity for their players and members of the team to reunite with their families and friends.
“I feel elated and I have to thank the PSL. At the end of the day, it’s not just about winning, but the experience given to us. Who knows, maybe some them may be representing the Philippine team soon,” added Albano.
