Pido Jarencio’s legacy at UST will be hard to match

Alfredo “Pido” Jarencio will be leaving the UST men’s basketball team as head coach after eight seasons with the Growling Tigers. He was recently named new head coach of the GlobalPort Batang Pier team in the PBA. The 49-year old fiery hoops guru will be bringing his winning ways in UST with the Mikee Romero-owned pro team.

It surely is a bittersweet feeling for Jarencio to be moving on with his young coaching career. Not only has he brought glory to his alma mater as a coach and former cager but also as a respected basketball personality. Although he will finally realize his dream of being at the helm of a PBA team, Pido should be leaving his UST family with a heavy heart.

Last year, he was also reported to be taking over the coaching chores at Barako Bull but it was not consummated.

UST is a proud institution that can boast of a colorful sports tradition in the UAAP. The men’s basketball team alone has 18 UAAP crowns to show. But before the Jarencio era, the Growling Tigers had slumbered for nine years since Aric Del Rosario led the team to four straight UAAP titles from 1993 to 1996.

Jarencio took over the coaching jobs from Nel Parado in 2006 and immediately led the Tigers to the UAAP diadem in the same year. UST took the title in Game 3 of the best-of-three finals versus the Norman Black-led Ateneo Blue Eagles. In that team were eventual PBA campaigners Jojo Duncil (2006 UAAP Finals MVP), Mark Canlas, Francis Allera, Jervy Cruz and Dylan Ababou.

Under Jarencio, the Growling Tigers entered the UAAP finals two more times, in 2012 and 2013. Both trips to the championship series however would not duplicate their feat in 2006. In eight seasons with Jarencio at the helm, UST missed the UAAP’s Final Four only twice, in 2008 and 2010. The Tigers also won the PCCL plum in 2012.

Last season’s UAAP Finals series between UST and eventual titlist De La Salle was certainly one of the best in the history of the league. The best-of-three series was decided in Game 3 when the Green Archers escaped with a 71-69 squeaker over the Tigers in overtime.

If you compare the rosters of both squads, you will find that La Salle has the deeper bench and much taller frontline.

But Jarencio’s secret is in motivating his boys to overachieve. Despite being the heavy underdogs, the Tigers managed to take Game 1 of the finals and appeared to be ready for UAAP crown No. 19. But in Game 3, the Archers proved to be the steadier team in end game to pull off the amazing win.

After the game, UST forward Aljon Mariano received a lot of flak for his crucial turnover in end game and an earlier decision to take a long shot despite Jarencio’s order to dump the ball to Karim Abdul or Jeric Teng at the post. But Pido defended his player after the game and quickly took responsibility for the painful loss.

RELATED: Pido Jarencio's Three P's set to change GlobalPort's fortunes

The rise of the Growling Tigers under Jarencio has been remarkable despite a meager team budget when compared to other UAAP programs, like Ateneo, La Salle and National University. How he was able to recruit marquee players and form a competitive and championship-caliber squad is clearly noteworthy. Jarencio was able to lure former UAAP Juniors MVP Kevin Ferrer to stay with UST even when he (Ferrer) was being pursued by other top collegiate teams. Other key recruits by Jarencio were Teng from Xavier School, Jeric Fortuna from De La Salle Zobel, Louie Vigil and Jeepy Faundo from Jose Rizal University, and Clark Bautista from the Benedictine International School.

Another incredible trait of Jarencio is his ability to bring out the best from his players. Mariano and Carmelo Afuang were both undersized post players coming out of San Beda high school. Both players shone bright for the Tigers in the UAAP even with their lack of ceiling. Afuang was merely a third-stringer with the mighty Red Cubs team in the NCAA. Mariano did not even make San Beda’s NCAA juniors roster. In 2012, Mariano became one of the best big forwards in the UAAP, averaging 13.3 points, 7.3 rebounds and 2.2 assists per game.

Known as the “Fireman” during his playing years in the PBA, Jarencio has had a vibrant career as a player. He suited up for UST in the UAAP and became the team’s best scorer. His match-up against fellow sharpshooter Allan Caidic of UE was said to be the talk-of-the-town during those days, comparable to the blockbuster sibling rivalry between Jeron and Jeric Teng during last year’s finals.

In the PBA, Jarencio achieved superstar status when he starred for crowd favorite Ginebra San Miguel, under the famed playing coach Robert Jaworski. He was voted PBA Most Improved Player in 1992.

Likely to take over from Jarencio is long-time deputy and former Growling Tiger Estong Ballesteros. Pido himself has strongly recommended Ballesteros to the university’s top management. If Estong gets the job, Jarencio has vowed to stay in touch with the team he nourished for eight years.

But whoever succeeds Jarencio will have very big shoes to fill.

Editor's note: The blogger's views do not represent Yahoo! Southeast Asia's position on the topic or issue being discussed in this post.