Brothers Bacon and Ged Austria are starting to make their names in basketball coaching, inspired by their father Leo’s greatness.
But unlike their father, a nine-time PBA champion tactician, the brothers opted to coach in the women’s division of the UAAP.
Bacon is currently the lead assistant to LA Mumar for the Ateneo Blue Eagles, while Ged is part of the coaching staff under Haydee Ong for the UST Growling Tigresses.
Of course, entering coaching was influenced by their dad, who is one of the winningest coaches in the PBA.
Bacon has been mentoring in women’s basketball since the pre-pandemic era, while Ged just entered last season at UST, where the Growling Tigresses went all the way to shattering the NU Lady Bulldogs’ dynasty.
“I think sobrang nakakatuwa that my brother is coaching also in the women’s basketball sa UST,” said the older Bacon.
“It speaks volumes sa influence ng dad ko. I think we saw him coach champion teams, naunahan pa ko ni Ged mag champion pero I think the influence of my dad was big.”
However, the brothers are in women’s basketball for the same reason: the purity of play.
The Austria brothers both played for Ateneo during their student-athlete years and extended their playing careers to the PBA D-League, making their choice to coach women’s basketball all the more interesting.
“Sa women’s basketball nakakatuwa icoach yung girls dahil they really listen. Not saying that men don’t but the basketball in women’s is very pure. Super pure yung basketball sa women’s division,” said Bacon.
“Most of these girls wala na silang pupuntahan after, I hope may leagues after pero most of these girls they’re not gonna play anymore after they graduate so they walk in there, they wake up at 4:30 a.m. tapos train at 5:30 a.m nang walang kapalit, dahil gusto lang nilang mag basketball, gusto lang nilang mag-aral. That’s pure ‘di ba?” added the UAAP Season 69 Juniors’ MVP.
“Yung di mo kailangan ng extra added motivation to go to practice, you just wanna play basketball, you wanna study, you wanna get that scholarship, graduate, and get a job after.”
(C) UAAP Season 87 Media Team
Ged, despite only getting the opportunity to coach last year, echoed the thoughts of his older brother, whom he sees as a huge inspiration for why he ventured into women’s basketball coaching.
The younger Ged is in awe of how women’s play focuses more on basics and fundamentals, while also not being able to prevent himself from comparing it to the men’s division, having been a player himself.
He also sees it as a mission to really level up the recognition the women’s division gets—something they deserve but have not really received enough of.
The WNBA, on the other side of the world, has been getting much recognition and support as of late, and it’s about time the Philippines follows suit.
“I’d say women’s basketball focuses more on fundamentals and actual team play. It seems na mas kailangan maging tactical at sumunod sa sistema,” said Ged.
“Would also say na women’s basketball tend to receive less media attention. Kaya it’s about time na dumadami na rin ang exposure. It’s been a long time coming, actually dapat matagal na rin talagang may equal coverage ang women’s basketball. It’s all for empowerment rin naman and women’s basketball—even sports in general—deserve all the recognition they should be getting.”
