Ato clears Jr. NBA camper

Take it from San Beda College athletic director Ato Badolato. The kid who was singled out by a staffer of event organizer Team Comm for misbehavior during the recent Jr. NBA three-day camp is not guilty.

Ranbill Angelo Tongco, 14, was one of 40 boys invited to join last month’s Jr. NBA camp that was supervised by Frank Lopez and Jama Mahlalela. The players, aged 12 to 14, came from schools in Luzon, Cebu and Davao. They stayed at the Marriott Hotel and did their drills at the Jose Rizal University gym in Mandaluyong.

Tongco’s father Randy wrote to The STAR, denouncing the Team Comm staffer’s negative attitude towards the boy, causing humiliation and embarrassment.

A Team Comm official said Tongco was seen running around the Marriott without a shirt on and when his attention was called, he reportedly challenged a female staffer – named Cherry – to a fistfight. The official claimed Tongco was nearly booted out of the camp for his alleged poor attitude.

But a parent of one of the campers – not Tongco’s father – told The STAR yesterday the “shirtless” incident involved another boy. “We were like campers, too,” said the parent. “We were at the hotel and the gym. The kids and parents always got together to exchange stories. I understand that Ranbill’s father wants to bring this matter up to the NBA, particularly to Carlo Singson. Several kids and parents are willing to testify against Team Comm because they witnessed how Ranbill was treated. Why not get everybody together to find out who’s really telling the truth?”

Tongco was pilloried by a Team Comm official for misbehaving even in school. The official said Tongco was once kicked out of the classroom for disrespecting his teacher by raising his middle finger.

Badolato checked with the San Beda high school guidance counsellor if Tongco was ever cited for disrespecting a teacher and found nothing on record.

“While I can’t say for sure who is correct, I have talked with the boy and I am convinced that he is telling the truth,” said Badolato, a San Beda Sports Hall of Famer. “He will not lie to me. Ranbill, or Radge as we call him, was personally recruited by me and none of his coaches ever had an attitude problem with him. On the contrary, he has been helping us with the other players.”

Badolato said Tongco, an incoming high school sophomore, plays for San Beda’s team in the boys leagues and will likely join the Red Cubs in the NCAA on his junior year.

“I have no problems with the kid,” said Badolato. “He’s even our scorer with our NCAA team. He’s a good boy. I don’t think he was ever involved in any wrongdoing in school. Otherwise, the prefect of students would have informed me as he always does when there is an incident.”

Badolato retired from active coaching last year and is now San Beda’s full-time athletic director. He started coaching San Beda’s midgets in 1967 and moved to the NCAA in 1972, a journey that was highlighted by 16 league titles.

Among the players honed by Badolato were Chuck Barreiro, Chito and Joey Loyzaga, Ronald Magtulis, Dindo Pumaren, Ronnie Magsanoc, Macky de Joya, Eric Altamirano, Benjie Paras, Gerry Esplana, Boybits Victoria, J. V. Casio, L. A. Tenorio, RenRen Ritualo, Magnum Membrere, Jenkins Mesina, Chris Calaguio, Ralph Rivera, Richie Melencio and Ogie Menor.

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Three-time Southeast Asian Games singles champion Cecil Mamiit is on course to be in top shape for the Philippines’ first round playoff tie against Chinese-Taipei in Group I of the Asia/Oceania Davis Cup at the Yang Ming Tennis Center in Kaohsiung on July 9-11.

Mamiit, who will be 34 when he plays in Kaohsiung, recently crushed American Sahak Bazrganian, 6-1, 6-0, in the finals of the Southern California sectionals, one of 16 US Tennis Association subregions, at the Claremont Club. The triumph advances Mamiit to the US Open playoffs to be held at the Atlanta Athletic Club on July 22-25. The Atlanta tournament winner will earn a singles wildcard ticket to compete in the US Open qualifiers at the Billie Jean King Tennis Center in Flushing Meadow, New York, on Aug. 24-27. If Mamiit manages to survive the qualifiers, he will move on to play in the US Open proper on Aug. 30-Sept. 12.

“I’m grateful to be healthy and I treasure that I had another opportunity to compete in tennis at my age,” said Mamiit, a singles bronze medalist at the 2006 Asian Games. “I played the sport at every level, from junior to professional, and I still love it.”

Mamiit will likely be appointed playing coach in the coming Davis Cup tie. The Philippines must beat Chinese-Taipei to remain in Group I outright. A defeat will mean playing Uzbekistan or Korea in a relegation duel where the loser drops to Group II.