Cholo Villanueva waited a full decade in women’s basketball before finally tasting his first major championship as a head coach.
Since starting his coaching career in the women’s division in 2015, Villanueva reached the UAAP Finals twice with La Salle, in Seasons 79 and 85, but fell short both times against National University.
Interestingly, his first Finals loss came against former Lady Bulldog Afril Bernardino, who is now one of his star players with New Zealand Bluefire-Batangas.
But at last, the moment he had been waiting for 10 years finally arrived. And it came no less than in the inaugural professional season of the Women’s Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League (WMPBL), making the achievement even sweeter, with his name not only etched but recorded as the first in league history.
“I’ve been in the women’s basketball community for about 10 years ngayon. I’ve been in the finals two or three times siguro,” Villanueva told Tiebreaker Times shortly after New Zealand Bluefire-Batangas’ title-clinching 79-77 win over Discovery-Rizal last Sunday.
“Winning the championship here in women’s basketball is the sweetest thing kasi dito ako nagsimula,” he added.
(C) WMPBL Images
Villanueva was quick to share the credit with his players, praising their resilience and refusal to give up despite facing a tough Perlas squad that pushed them to their limit throughout the two-game series.
“That’s why I’m very proud of the players that I have, na ‘di bumitaw and wanted to win this championship,” said the player-turned-coach, who also shared the moment with former college players Khate Castillo, Snow Peñaranda, and Camille Claro, to name a few.
“The players didn’t want to give up, and they trusted each other. It’s a mixture of heart and hard work.”
The two-time UAAP champion also made it a point to honor Discovery-Rizal head coach Derrick Pumaren, saying that facing one of his mentors on the biggest stage of local women’s basketball made the victory even more meaningful.
“Si Coach Derrick, si Manong, is one of my mentors coming into La Salle. He was our consultant with Coach Franz. Everything I learned from basketball is from the Pumarens,” he said.
“So it’s a bittersweet feeling for me dahil going up against one of my mentors and winning it against him is a sweet moment for me, and I’m very thankful to God for giving me this moment and this championship.”
From winning his first championship with former college players to facing a former mentor in the Finals, Villanueva’s triumph was truly a once-in-a-lifetime moment he will never forget.
“Of course, number one kasi, being in a championship moment — I’ve experienced it as a player — I always want to share it with my current players ngayon, and it’s sweet that we get to experience a championship moment dahil sometimes, it’s once in a lifetime.”
