Eddie Laure is the head coach of the Roxas Vanguards. Photo shows Laure during the Roxas Vanguards’ tree planting activity in President Manuel Roxas town. | Photo from Roxas Vanguards Facebook page
CEBU CITY, Philippines — The Roxas Vanguards hired former pro basketball player Eddie Laure to handle the head coaching job in their upcoming campaign in the 2021 Chooks-to-Go Pilipinas VisMin Super Cup-Mindanao Leg.
The 43-year old Laure, a proud son of the municipality of President Manuel Roxas in Zamboanga del Norte, easily helmed the head coaching job.
It was a no-brainer for the management of the Vanguards to hire Laure who was born and raised in Dipolog City. On top of that, he is a childhood friend of the Vanguards’ team owner and mayor of President Manuel Roxas town Jan Hendrik Vallecer.
“Unang-una kasi is taga dito ako. Pangalawa, yung team owner namin magkaibigan kami,” said Laure, who played pro basketball from 1998-2016.
(First of all, I am from around here. Second, the team owner and I are friends.)
“Siyempre, gusto ko din dito muna mag-stay habang pandemic tapos na-timing na nagbuo siya ng team. Ako yung tinawagan niya at hindi na ko nagdalawang isip na kunin yun.”
(Of course, I wanted to stay here while the pandemic was still here. It was also fortunate that they also formed a team and when they called me, I did not not hesitate to accept the offer.)
Laure is widely known in Manila’s collegiate basketball team as he served as assistant coach in several teams such as the University of Santo Tomas, University of the East, Jose Rizal University, and in the MPBL under then team, Laguna Heroes.
To help his transition, Laure got two veterans to serve as anchors of the team in 6-foot-4 bruiser Chito Jaime and 6-foot-3 Leo Najorda.
“Malaking factor yung Najorda at yung Jaime dahil tinitingala sila ng mga bata,” said Laure who played for the Batangas Blades.
(Najorda and Jaime are big factors in the team because the other players look up to them.)
Laure, who became an MVP in the MBA in 2001, is a veteran in many leagues. He played for the Shell Turbo Chargers, Purefoods Tender Juicy Hotdogs, Alaska Aces, Rain or Shine Elasto Painters, Powerade Tigers, the Philippine Patriots, Blackwater Elite, and the Mahindra Enforcer.
Meanwhile, crafty guard JK Casino has been tasked to lead the Vanguards’ backcourt.
Other players tapped by the Vanguards are Arellano Chiefs transferee Jordan Sta. Ana, Lester Reyes, Jordan Intic, Joshua Templo, Marr Rifarial, RJ Deles, James Castro, Francis Camacho, and Roy Velasco.
Completing the team is 6-foot-8 Fil-Libyan Seraj Elmejrab. Elmejrab played for the Laguna Pistons in the NBL-Pilipinas.
“Sa amin kasi, inaangatan namin kumuha ng players dahil ayaw natin mahaluan ng players na hindi sumusunod sa sistema. Wala rin kaming star players,” said Laure, who will be assisted by coaches Edsel Vallena, Crisalde Reliza, Anthony Lopez, Garry Dulanas, Bert Tacorda, and Jhon Marmeto.
(For us, we are careful in choosing our players because we don’t want to have someone who won’t follow the system. We also don’t have any star players.)
“Yung team namin, kailangan sama-sama talaga, depensa muna bago ang opensa. Yung team namin lalaban ng palitan ng mukha. Yan yung pinaghahandaan namin dahil malalim yung field,” he said.
(Our team, we need to cooperate with each other, in defense before our offense. Our team would really play hard. A team that really prepares because the field is really deep.)
Vallecer set lofty goals for his team, saying that he wants the team to compete in the finals. But for Laure, he is taking it one step at a time.
“Gusto talaga ni Mayor na mag-champion. Sabi ko nga, umpisahan muna natin sa practice at kung ano outcome nito, dun natin mage-gauge kung saan tayo makakarating,” he said.
(The mayor wants us to become champions. I told him that we have start at practice and see what the outcome will be. Then that is where we can gauge where we can be.)
League officials though are still finalizing on the venue for the Mindanao leg.
The ongoing pandemic has forced the league to start its Mindanao leg on the week of June 12-18.
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