A Falcon facelift again?

By Joel Orellana
Business Mirror
October 18, 2007

Adamson University appeared bent at not renewing the contract of its Soaring Falcons head coach William “Bogs” Adornado, but a school official said the former star would remain in its long-term basketball program.

BusinessMirror also learned yesterday that Adamson has already been entertaining applicants for the head coaching job of the Falcons, who finished seventh in the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) Season 70 with only two victories as against 12 defeats. The Falcons beat University of the Philippines (UP), which lost all its games.

Among those reportedly being considered are Nash Racela, Adamson juniors head coach Dayong Mendoza and Adornado’s assistant, Jing Ruiz.

Adamson athletic director Ruel de la Rosa told BusinessMirror the school has not reached the point of dropping Adornado, who remains the head coach of the Falcons.

“We’re crafting a long-term basketball program for Adamson, and I believe he [Adornado] is still part of that program,” said de la Rosa.

A team insider contradicted de la Rosa’s statement, saying the Soaring Falcons will undergo changes in its coaching staff anew.

Luigi Trillo, now one of the assistants at Alaska in the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA), handled the team from 2002 to 2004. After a disappointing campaign, he was replaced by Mel Alas, brother of Letran mentor Louie.

The Falcons again faltered under Alas in 2005 before Leo Austria helped the team to its first Final Four stint last season. Most Valuable Player Kenneth Bono was on that Season 69 team.

De la Rosa confirmed the applications the school has received for the head coaching job. He refused to comment any further, though.

Racela, brother of PBA guard Olsen, has the edge among the applicants, the insider said.

Racela is no stranger to collegiate basketball, as he previously handled San Beda College in 2004 up to the middle of 2005 season before he was replaced by Koy Banal. BusinessMirror also learned that PBA great Hector Calma, an Adamson alumnus, is endorsing Racela. Calma was a member of the Adamson team that won its only UAAP crown in 1977.

But whoever gets the job, or if Adornado stays in the team, the Soaring Falcons will be headed for another rough Season 71 with the exit of key player Patrick Cabahug, the Falcons’ leading scorer and rebounder.

Cabahug is no longer eligible next season. He was the league’s top scorer with 21.3 a game and was No. 4 in rebounds with 8.4. He is currently in the pool of the Harbour Centre-backed national team of coach Junel Baculi.

Over at UP, dean Hercules Callanta of the College of Human Kinetics said the UP Chancellor’s Office has not yet accepted the recommendation of the board on the termination of Joe Lipa as Fighting Maroons head coach.

Callanta has already told Lipa last month that he had been dropped as Maroons coach.