PH Basketball Community Pays Tribute to "Tatay" Aric

You don't have to be a fan of the University of Santo Tomas (UST) Growling Tigers to know Aric Del Rosario. While he has been hailed as the father of UST basketball owing to the fact that he steered UST- then known as the Golden Goldies, to four straight championships in the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) from 1993 to 1996 including the sweep of the 1993 season where UST was led by none other than Dennis Espino, to those who have been fortunate enough to have known him, he was simply "Tatay" Aric. 

And like a child who lost a father, the entire Philippine basketball community is mourning over the passing of one of its pillars in Aric Del Rosario who passed away yesterday at the age of 80. Tributes from former players and fellow coaches have been pouring like rain since then.

In his tweet, former national team head coach, Chot Reyes said that the Philippine coaching community has lost a great one. After all, Aric Del Rosario achieved more success after his decorated stint in Espana. which included steering the Philippine team to a gold medal finish during the 2003 Southeast Asian (SEA) Games that were held in Vietnam. 

Another former national team coach and a former foe of Tatay Aric in the UAAP in Jong Uichico, through a message posted on his Facebook page, expressed his sadness over the passing of Aric Del Rosario whom Uichico described as not just an amazing coach but a humble person. Incidentally, it was the Uichico's De La Salle Green Archers who served as the Golden Goldies' main rivals during Del Rosario's heyday with UST which explains the utmost respect that Uichico has for the late Del Rosario.

 Tim Cone, who worked with Del Rosario with the Alaska franchise during the latter's stint as an assistant coach, was "broke up" upon learning the devastating news of Del Rosario's death. After all, Cone and Del Rosario were both at the helm when Alaska won its first grand slam during the 1996 season of the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA). In his tweet, the former national team coach and current Ginebra coach said that Del Rosario was an influence during the early stages of his coaching career, adding that the late UAAP champion coach taught him about humility and compassion.

But perhaps, Pido Jarencio's tribute to his Tatay Aric is best the tribute that exemplifies how it was to have a father figure like Aric Del Rosario. 

According to the current NorthPort Batang Pier coach, Aric Del Rosario was first and foremost, a selfless man. Jarencio also added that Del Rosario, who also won a championship in the Metropolitan Basketball Association (MBA), was a good man and acted like a father to him. Perhaps, Jarencio isn't alone in that statement. And although Jarencio and Del Rosario didn't win a title in their time together in Espana, Jarencio was still thankful that he was able to play under the legendary coach in the former's final season and that Coach Pido added that his Tatay Aric was a part of his success as a player.   

While the Philippine basketball is mourning over the passing of one of its fathers, we can take solace to the fact that Aric Del Rosario's legacy in Philippine basketball will continue to live on thanks to the players and coaches whose lives have been molded by the late UST great. After all, great players have to start somewhere in their career and in the history of UST, most of the former UST legends started off by playing for the late Aric Del Rosario and they turned out to become the legends we know they were not just in UST but in Philippine basketball. 

Rest in peace, Tatay Aric.

Photo is from ESPN