By MARK REY MONTEJO
A sad day for Philippine basketball as two-time Olympian Jimmy Mariano passed away Sunday afternoon, Dec. 7. He was 84.
Mariano was known as part of the country’s last men’s basketball national team that competed in the 1972 Olympics in Munich, Germany where he served as a flag-bearer. He was also a member of the contingent in the 1968 Mexico Games.
In 1973, the pride of Malabon City skippered the Nationals to a gold-medal finish in the ABC Championship (currently FIBA Asia Cup) at the fabled Rizal Memorial Coliseum in Manila.
There, Mariano helped the Philippines sweep its 10 games to take home its fourth title in the continental showpiece, with Bogs Adornado snaring the MVP honor.
The lefty forward played as well in the three editions where they won gold (Seoul, 1967), silver (Kuala Lumpur, 1965), and bronze (Bangkok, 1969).
Aside from his accolades overseas, Mariano was a four-time champion in the now-defunct Manila Industrial and Commercial Athletic Association (MICAA) and a two-time champion, under the late great tactician Baby Dalupan, for the once powerhouse University of the East in the UAAP way back 1960 and 1962.
After his playing years, Mariano guided the Presto franchise to a crown in the PBA All-Filipino Conference in 1990. It marked his lone trophy in the biggest basketball league on Philippine soil.
He also returned to his alma mater to coach the Red Warriors and spearheaded them to a back-to-back diadems (1984, ‘85), the last time UE enjoyed the UAAP glory.
