Altamirano will coach the UP women’s basketball team; Kieffer Alas has committed to Ateneo
University of the Philippines (UP) legend Eric Altamirano came home to Diliman to coach his women’s basketball team while former De La Salle University standout Kieffer Alas committed to rival Ateneo de Manila University for a collegiate performance as the team enters its much-anticipated UAAP off-season moves this year 89.
Mr. Altamirano, a member of the legendary UP team that dominated the UAAP with Benjie Paras and Ronnie Magsanoc in 1986, was on Wednesday officially introduced as the head coach of the Fighting Maroons women’s basketball team in place of Paul Ramos, who guided the team to return to the final four in Season 86.
“I have come full circle. This is my way of giving back to the school that gave me the opportunity to start my playing and coaching career,” said Mr. Altamirano, who will inherit a strong core led by Gilas Pilipinas women’s players Louna Ozar and Camille Nolasco and veteran Kaye Pesquera.
Mr. Altamirano was the Finals MVP in the 49th season when UP under coach Joe Lipa swept UE to snap a 48-year drought. That was Diliman’s last title en route to another 36-year drought before coach Goldwin Monteverde ended it by spoiling Ateneo’s four-peat bid in 2022.
From that time, Mr. Altamirano switched to coaching gigs with Purefoods, Mobiline and Coca-Cola in the PBA before returning to coach UP’s men’s team in 1996. In 2014, he UAAP National University’s engineering to celebrate 60 years in vain.
And now, she will fight for the same task of ending Diliman’s misery in UAAP women’s basketball after last winning in 1984.
“It’s true, our long-term plan is to bring UP to the top of the mountain. But for now, we have to continue taking these many steps to get there. For now, what we want is sustainable competition,” said Mr. Altamirano, who is no stranger to the women’s game after overseeing the Gilas Pilipinas 3×3 Women and the Women’s Basketball League Pilipinas.
Mr. Altamirano, who is also in charge of the National Basketball Training Center for elementary and high school basketball, will be Jeff Perlas, Paolo Layug, Anton Altamirano, and Gilas Women’s mainstay Mikka Cacho, as part of his staff in an effort to bounce back from UP’s 3-11 campaign last season.
His appointment came on the heels of UP’s rival Katipunan’s hiring in men’s basketball after getting the help of Mr. Alas, the youth star of Gilas Pilipinas reached the 2024 FIBA U17 World Cup after finishing in the last four in the Asian qualifiers, where he was selected with an average of 1.4 points for Mythical. and 2.6 auxiliary.
Mr. Alas, 18, injured his knee in the World Cup but came back with a bang to win the UAAP Season 87 MVP title before going to the United States to play for former Gilas and PBA mentor Mark Dickel, Protec Tab Baldwin, at Utah Prep.
“Coming home,” said Mr. Maye on Instagram on Tuesday as he reunited with father Louie, who serves as Mr. Baldwin’s deputy, after choosing Ateneo over UAAP and US NCAA Division 2 schools. – John Bryan Ulanday
