Golden mission for Pat Aquino

FINALLY I had a chance to do what I used to do regularly when I was just starting my sportswriting work more than four decades ago.
I mean going to gyms to interview people for features, mostly in basketball.
And last week, I found the time to go the Aero Gym in Quezon City to see the Philippine women’s basketball training team, all 17 of them, in practice. The team is competing in the Jones Cup in Taipei in July as part of its preparation for the golden mission in the 2019 Southeast Asian Games that we are hosting here late this year.
I sat down first with Ai Lebornio, the UE women’s basketball head coach, who just joined the staff of head coach Pat Aquino who I believe made the right decision in tapping Ai as one of his coaches. In fact, he told me that Ai deserves that slot as she has proven herself in the past and that he has seen her develop teams from nothing as in the case of the UE Lady Warriors. I should know that because I helped Ai during that time.
She was also the head coach of the multi-titled Lyceum Lady Pirates in the WNCAA prior to moving to the UAAP and recently joined Bong Ramos in the Pampanga Lanterns in the MPBL after a short stint with Bai Cristobal in Zamboanga.
On her part, Ai said it is her dream really to be with the national team in whatever role and that she hopes to be able to contribute something to the team. Right now, Pat has given her the assignment of working on the speed of the team.
And definitely, Pat will be relying on speed as one of the team’s weapons in the SEA Games. For the record, out of 18 stagings of women’s basketball in the SEA Games, we have never won the gold.
Malaysia has won 13 times while Thailand took the remaining five titles. We have finished second six times in 1981, 1983, 1985, 1995, 2011 and 2013 and it pales in comparison to the men’s team that has won all except two titles.
That is why Pat believes the only mission is to win the gold and nothing else.
I think this team can do it especially that we are the host country.
The team also thanked its supporters like the SBP, Ever Bilena, San Miguel Corporation and SMART, among others.
Four Fil-Ams are supposed to join the team, both for the Jones Cup and the SEA Games. They are Kelli Hayes from UCLA, Arnecia Hawkins from Arizona State, Gabe Bade from Sacramento State and Meilyn Bautista from George Washington. All are in good shape and all wanting to play for flag and country.
Bade is the daughter of former Stag Cris Bade.
Even if some veterans opted out of the team, Pat said the younger players in the training team will compensate for the experience factor with their enthusiasm and energy, adding that most of the newcomers are UAAP stars.
Among the veterans who remained are Afril Bernardino, Jack Animam, Claire Castro, Chack Cabinbin, Andrea Tongco, Gemma Miranda, Ria Nabalan, Danica Jose, Trixie Antiquiera and Janine Pontejos.
Among the newcomers I saw were Bea Daez from UP, Tin Deacon and Hazel Young from Ateneo, DLSU’s Kate Castillo, Camille Claro and Shaw Penaranda, and UE’s Eunique Chan, one of Ai’s players that she developed.
Pat added that the Jones Cup will help him decide on the final roster for the SEA Games but whoever he picks, he says they will be the right materials to finally nail that elusive gold in women’s basketball that has long eluded our grasp.
Oh, and I offered to do a free team building in Banahaw for the team before the SEA Games, it is up to Pat if he will take it or not.