Head Coach Gerry Esplana relinquished the reins of Emilio Aguinaldo College’s (EAC) men’s basketball team on Thursday more than a week after the end of their National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Season 90 campaign.
Prior to his exit, the 48-year old mentor compiled a 26-53 (won-lost) card during his four-and-a-half year stay as the Generals’ skipper, with their best finish coming in 2013 with a 10-8 mark – one win shy of entering the Final Four.
This season, EAC equalled their performance during Esplana’s first full year as head coach with a league-worst 4-14 (won-lost) mark, tying Mapua Institute of Technology for ninth place.
It was a rough season for the team seeking their best finish in their sixth year in the league as they went on a slow 3-6 start during the first round. Then, Igee King and Cameroonian Cedric Noube Happi mysteriously left the team prior to the second round.
As a result of the duo’s actions, the rest of the team banded together and wore warmup t-shirts bearing Esplana’s Number 30 jersey from his playing days in the Philippine Basketball Association in support of their leader.
Worse, an all-out brawl during their match against Mapua Institute of Technology gave their squad a black-eye, resulting to a 1-8 finish in the second round of their final campaign as a probationary member in the NCAA.
“I wasn’t able to live up to the expectations as the team’s head coach. But I’m thankful for the opportunity given to me by EAC’s top management,” said Esplana.
“We’ve been through a lot of challenges sa team. Just like any family, we experienced some problems that affected the team. For quite some time, we were the item of the news not only on our performance inside the court in the NCAA but the struggles within the team,” said Esplana.
The 48-year old Esplana also said that he is endorsing chief lieutenant Andy de Guzman to take over the reins on an interim basis.
With the veteran core of Joko Tayongtong, Jack Lord Arquero, and Jan Jamon already exhausting their eligibility, de Guzman inherits a young lineup led by Christ Mejos, Jozhua General, Jerald Serrano, and former NCAA juniors mythical five member Sidney Onwubere.
