Nadurata guided UAE in its formative years

There’s no question that United Arab Emirates basketball has gone a long way, and this was evident in the Arabs’ decent showing against the Philippines in Day One of basketball competition in the 14th Asian Games in Busan, Korea.

Gone were the days when UAE would be happy just breaking the 40-point mark in a game. In fact, the Arabs have broken a lot of barriers, they’re now the reigning champions in the Gulf region.

But probably unknown to many is that a Filipino coach had a big hand in shaping up what UAE basketball is today.

Red Bull assistant coach Rhoel Nadurata had a seven-year coaching stint in UAE in the 80s, handling the UAE national team for two years and calling the shots for one of the top club teams in the Emirates for five years.

"Malayo na ang narating nila. Magaling nang maglaro samantalang dati tuwang-tuwa na iyan kapag naka-score ng 30 points," said Nadurata of the UAE national team he handled from 1980 to 1982.

Nadurata, a former Asian Gamer himself who now serves as deputy of coach Yeng Guiao at Red Bull in the PBA and chairman in one barangay in Caloocan City, was recruited by the UAE basketball federation on the recommendation by then Basketball Association of the Philippines (BAP) secretary-general Honesto Mayoralgo.

Nadurata got the UAE offer while having just returned from the ABC men’s championship in Nagoya, Japan in 1980 where he worked as assistant to coach Freddie Webb in the Philippine team bannered by Joel Banal, JB Yango and Hector Calma among others.

"Actually, from Nagoya, tumuloy dito sa Pilipinas ang UAE for a basketball camp where I worked as a consultant. Nagustuhan ang trabaho ko noong outgoing coach nilang si Willie Loving who is an American. Loving himself recommended me to take over his job," said Nadurata.

The jolly Filipino coach said he had a heavy heart leaving the country then because, for one, he would be away from his family and, secondly, he would miss the campaign of his powerhouse University of the East team in the UAAP. He relinquished his UE post to Jimmy Mariano who went on to reap three championships in a stretch of four seasons starting in 1982 on a team bannered by Allan Caidic.

"Ilang araw na lang opening na ng UAAP noong ibinigay ko ang team kay Jimmy Mariano. I knew that team would become a champion team," said Nadurata.

But what he missed with UE in the UAAP, he experienced with the Sharjah Khorfakan team in the UAE inter-club tourney after he ended his stint as UAE national coach.

"I won one inter-club championship there before I decided to come home in 1987. Umuwi na ako dahil bumaba na ang coaching pay sa kanila dahil may dumating na mga Yugoslavian coaches na tumatanggap ng maliit na bayad," said Nadurata.

Curiously, the current UAE team is handled by Bosnian coach Zoran Zupcevic.

Nadurata was impressed of UAE’s stint against the Philippines, he thought it would become even better in the years to come.

"Gagaling pa iyan, dahil kung gumawa sila ng plano long-term," said Nadurata, who, on his seven-year stint in the Emirates, fathered a child – Nicolle – who’s now in his teens.

Incidentally, upon his return, Nadurata steered the UE Warriors to back-to-back runner-up finishes in the UAAP – behind the Ateneo Eagles in 1987 and behind the La Salle Green Archers in 1989. Then, he would have his return stint with the RP team, working as assistant to coach Francis Rodriguez in the 1991 Manila Southeast Asian Games.

Nadurata has long settled at home but said he can’t forget his fond memories of the Emirates.