It's a sad day for Philippine basketball.
Tony Chua, manager of PBA team Red Bull Barako, passed away Saturday night due to typhoon Ondoy. Chua, who also served as PBA chairman before, was drowned by the flash floods near his home in Cainta Rizal when he decided to retrieve something from his car that was parked on their driveway.
For the record, Marikina and Cainta are the most disastrous areas, wherein floods are already chest-deep.
Yet, Chua gambled and paid dearly for his life.
Honestly, I'm not a fan of Chua since he owns the team I hated the most, Red Bull, but somehow I'll pay my tribute for the guy who provided Philippine basketball a lot.
Ever since Red Bull came into the league last 2000, competition in the league have become stiffer. It was Chua who transformed an expansion team in 2000 into a championship-caliber ballclub in just a year. They won the 2001 Commissioners cup led by their import James Lang. Again, Chua formed one of the best lineup Red Bull have ever posted by drafting scoring machine Willie Miller. He also drafted Enrico Villanueva last 2003 to add low post presence for the Barakos which paid off beautifully.
With several roster moves, Chua was able to assemble a roster loaded with talent led by Tugade, Valenzuela, Harp, Pennisi, Villanueva, Fonacier, Najorda and Cyrus Baguio which would give opposing teams a hell of a competition night in,night out to gain the respect and loyalty of PBA fans.
But 2008 season, Red Bull has filed bankruptcy and lost it's key players, majority to San Miguel Corp. Tugade, Valenzuela, Alvarez, Villanueva, Baguio, Pennisi, Celino Cruz, Miller and even coach Yeng Guiao was either dealt or resigned due to the issue of disbandment.
But yet, Chua never disband the team. Yes, they got cheaper players and formed a less competitive team but they never abandoned the league. Being a chairman of PBA board of governors, Chua kept his word and continued to patronize the PBA.
As for this day, it's sad to see a great man go. It's hard to believe that a Tony Chua is no longer existent and it's hard to imagine to see how Philippine basketball will continue without the support of Tony Chua.
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