Alfrancis Chua is finally ready to translate his success from professional and collegiate ranks into the international stage.
The San Miguel Corporation sports director is set to take on his biggest challenge yet, serving as the national team’s team manager in the 19th Asian Games in Hangzhou, China, later this month.
Chua has been an expert at winning throughout his career. He has won 15 PBA championships in his current post, seven championships in the defunct PBL, and three NCAA championships as a consultant to Letran College.
Now, it is about winning the competition dubbed the ‘Olympics of Asia.’
“It’s a big challenge. We got two weeks but it’s not an excuse. This is basketball. I told Tim (Cone) that if I’m gonna tell you to coach volleyball, dun ka matakot,” said the University of Santo Tomas alumnus.
“But it’s basketball. This is your life. This is our life so we got the go signal and back up from boss RSA (Ramon S. Ang) and we’ll do this. We’ll try our best for the Philippine,” he continued.
“Kung anuman ang resulta ng mangyayari sa amin dito, basta kaya namin ipagmalaki at binigay namin ang lahat and we’re gonna go there prepared.”
Chua and Cone have brought seven championships to the fabled Ginebra franchise in the PBA. Together, they will strive to find a way to bring honor back to a program that stumbled painfully on home soil in the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2023.
When behind-the-scenes talks pointed toward the former Alaska Milkmen mentor taking charge, it only felt right that he would take on this daunting task with someone he has worked quite well with these past few years.
As the team manager, Chua is the one making calls left and right to solve the jigsaw puzzle called this Gilas Pilipinas side that will participate in the Asian Games.
Photo from PBA Images
“Actually, I didn’t ask for that. I’m always supporting the national team. Di naman kailangan ng posisyon or anything but it’s coming from Tim,” said Chua.
“Tim said if I’m gonna do this, I want you beside me. That’s why I did it.”
Nobody can question whether or not Alfrancis Chua has a winning mentality. The man will always be remembered as one of the most successful executives in Philippine sports.
It’s about time that he goes for international glory, especially since the country last won the Asian Games gold medal back in the 1962 edition in Jakarta.
“To do well para sa country, para magawa namin yun is to work hard — double or triple. Pagkakasyahin namin yung time na two weeks and that’s the only thing,” said Chua.
“Gusto mong mag-succeed, (you need to) work harder and harder and harder hanggang makuha namin yung gusto namin.”
