Derrick Pumaren's DLSU head coaching appointment signifies return to a more homegrown flavor

MANILA, Philippines – The four-year experiment with a non-La Sallian alumnus or former player is to over. Derrick Pumaren, a former player for the Green Archers in the late 1970s and who coached them to their first UAAP titles in 1989 and 1990, returns to call the shots for La Salle. 

The formal announcement that was supposed to be late last December 2019 was officially made Tuesday.

Pumaren’s appointment ends a four-year experiment of non-La Sallian coaches that started with Aldin Ayo in 2016-17 (he guided the school to its ninth UAAP title in 2016) and followed by Louie Gonzales in 2018 and active consultant Jermaine Byrd last season (although Gian Nazario was listed as head coach). 

This also signifies a return to a more homegrown flavor for La Salle basketball. Joining him in the sideline is longtime assistant Gabby Velasco, who played for Pumaren in La Salle’s first UAAP team in 1986, and Mon Jose, who was last on a UAAP bench with Eric Altamirano when National University won the league title in 2014. Byrd remains part of the staff along with Gian Nazario. The only non-alumnus is trainer Chappy Callanta, who was part of the previous coaching staff.

The return to the school’s roots is also part of the plans of new team patron, businessman Raffy Villavicencio, who played for La Salle Greenhills in high school alongside Len Mumar and Eric Reyes. Ties are expected to strengthen between the college team and their high school squads in LSGH and De La Salle Zobel. 

Aside from his two UAAP titles, Pumaren led Magnolia and Triple V (owned by Villavicencio’s relatives) to Philippine Amateur Basketball League titles before jumping to the PBA ranks with Pepsi. Pumaren’s first professional crown came with Sunkist in 1995.

When Pumaren, or “Manong Derrick” as he is fondly called, returned the UAAP sidelines, it was with the University of the East Red Warriors from 2014-17. He transferred to Centro Escolar University the next season where they copped the National Capital Region Athletics Association men’s basketball crown in 2019.

He was also a consultant for the Hong Kong side that impressed during the 2013 FIBA Asia Championships in Manila. 

Pumaren will bring a renewed mania for defense to De La Salle that was third in the team defensive rankings last UAAP campaign behind champion Ateneo and semifinalist Far Eastern University. Expect La Salle to spring its once dreaded press and trapping defense.

Manong Derrick’s influence as a coach — having learned first from his father, former UE and La Salle coach, Pilo Pumaren, and from the late American coach of the fabled Northern Consolidated Cement team, Ron Jacobs — extends to his players from Velasco to current Columbian Dyip mentor Johnedel Cardel to Jun Limpot (who worked as an assistant to Juno Sauler) to Dickie Bachmann (who was a long-time assistant to Tim Cone with Alaska before moving up to the Alaska Aces front office) and Richard del Rosario (who is now Cone’s first assistant with Barangay Ginebra in the pros). 

Pumaren will have graduating seniors Justine Baltazar and Aljun Melecio as well as Encho Serrano, Joaqui Manuel, Kurt Lojera, Jordan Bartlett, Tyrus Hill, Don Lim, Francis Escandor and Ralph Cu while integrating their new Fil-American recruits and Senegalese center Amadou Ndiaye.