A Christmas prayer

A man close to Philippine basketball is celebrating his birthday today. He is destined to go down in the country’s sports history as the coach who revolutionized the way the game is played here.

Ron Jacobs turns 63 today. And it’s everyone’s fervent wish that he will fully recover from the stroke that he suffered while driving home to his Pasig apartment in the afternoon of Dec. 22, 2001, a few days before Christmas.

Jacobs is reportedly making good progress in his therapy. He has even visited practices of the San Miguel Beer and Barangay Ginebra teams both of which he coached. Although his movements are confined to what he can do in a wheelchair, Jacobs is far from immobile.

Jacobs may not be coaching anymore but he still inspires his protégés who continue to immortalize his legacy on the court. When San Miguel coach Joseph Uichico led the Beermen to the season-ending 2004-05 Fiesta Conference crown, he dedicated the victory to Jacobs. When Ginebra coach Siot Tanquingcen won two of the PBA’s three conference titles straddling 2004 and 2005, he said he owed the twin triumphs to Jacobs.

Jacobs’ influence remains strong in Philippine basketball. His shadow is encompassing. Those who learned the ropes from him are now masters of the game, teaching to others the Jacobs system. Uichico and Tanquingcen are only two of a large army of coaches weaned from Jacobs’ basketball factory.

The Pumaren brothers, Eric Altamirano, Binky Favis, Leo Austria, Jun Tan and Tonichi Yturri are among the coaches who carry the Jacobs stamp of excellence. Then there are Jacobs disciples who’ve gone on to assume front office jobs like Coca-Cola’s Hector Calma, San Miguel Beer’s Samboy Lim and Ginebra’s Allan Caidic.

There isn’t a day that passes where Jacobs isn’t informed of what’s going on in Philippine basketball. He’s kept up to date by those close to him, especially his companion of many, many years–Menen who has not left his side through thick and thin. In their comfortable Makati flat, Menen takes good care of Jacobs.

San Miguel Corp. chairman Eduardo (Danding) Cojuangco and his brother Henry are unflinching in their support of Jacobs’ rehabilitation. From day one, they’ve been at the forefront of the all-out effort to bring Jacobs back to his feet. It’s an effort that comes from the Cojuangco family’s heart.

Jacobs began his coaching career at Morningside High School in Los Angeles in 1967. A Master’s degree holder in physical education from the University of Southern California, Jacobs was named South Bay Coach of the Year and California inter-scholastic federation Coach of the Year for leading Morningside to the prep championship in 1974.

From Morningside, Jacobs made his way to El Camino Junior College and in 1979, was voted Community College Metropolitan Coach of the Year. That paved the way for his entry into NCAA Division I. In 1979-80, he was recruited to replace Dave Benaderet as varsity coach of Loyola at Marymount University. A tall order faced Jacobs who inherited a lowly squad that had a 5-21 record the previous season. But he overcame the odds and led the Lions to the NCAA Tournament. That earned for Jacobs the West Coast Athletic Conference Coach of the Year award.

After a season at Loyola, Jacobs was invited by Ambassador Cojuangco to visit the Philippines and try his hand at coaching the national squad. Since then, Jacobs has not only reaped honors for the country in international basketball but has also embraced the Philippines as his own.

Who can forget Jacobs’ feat of piloting the Philippines to a 74-63 win over China in the finals of the Asian Youth championships before an overflow crowd of 25,000 at the Araneta Coliseum in 1982?

Who can forget Jacobs’ feat of sticking it to China again, this time, leading the Philippines to an 82-72 decision for the 13th Asian men’s crown in Kuala Lumpur in 1986?

Who can forget Jacobs’ feat of leading Northern Cement to the 1981 Jones Cup title and San Miguel Beer to the 1985 diadem? He also took Northern, an amateur guest club, to the 1985 Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) Third Conference throne.

In 1997, Jacobs was voted Coach of the Year by the PBA Press Corps even as his team, San Miguel Beer, failed to win a single title that season. That was a clear tribute to his coaching genius.

Jacobs was named head coach of the national team a month before suffering a stroke.

Sometime next year, the construction of Jacobs’ rest house in Batangas will be finished and no doubt, he will enjoy many beautiful sunsets at the beach with his loved ones and close friends. Surely, he deserves those moments.

There are a few other things Jacobs deserves.

First, he deserves to be recognized as an honorary Filipino citizen. Jacobs has given so much of himself to the country and he has lived the best years of his life here. An honorary citizenship would be a fitting tribute.

Second, he deserves to be inducted into the PBA Hall of Fame. That would only be appropriate.

This Christmas season, say a little prayer for Jacobs’ complete recovery. That, he deserves, too.