Dignadice still active in hoops

MANILA, Philippines — Basketball remains a focal point in former PBA star Yves Dignadice’s life, pandemic or not, and now that he’s 56, a consuming passion is growing the game with kids in Torrance, metro Los Angeles. 

Dignadice played 15 seasons in the PBA with Magnolia, San Miguel Beer and Ginebra from 1986 to 2000. He was on nine PBA championship teams, including the 1989 San Miguel grand slam winner, but his most memorable hoop moments were with the national squad. In 2003, Dignadice migrated to the US where he lives with wife Jennifer, a nurse, and their two daughters Adrianne, 12, and Sophia, 11. Two years ago, he came home for a brief visit, called on San Miguel Corp. chairman Eduardo Cojuangco Jr., went to Samboy Lim and met up with friends Hector Calma, Allan Caidic, Alvin Teng, Siot Tangquingcen, Bong Ravena and JayJay Helterbrand.

Dignadice used to work as a cable guy and security guard. But he’s been totally immersed in basketball since three years ago. “I work closely with Mike Alexander to run the Swoosh Basketball League,” he said. “Before the pandemic, we did games every week. I train two girls teams and the players are in Grade 5 or 6. One of my teams is in the top five in the country. I’ve got a player who’s 6-3 and another, 5-10. I do zoom workouts with the players twice a week while we’re staying at home. Parents have been calling to ask when we can resume practice but not at this time.”

With his wife tied up at Kaiser Medical Center as a frontliner, Dignadice takes care of the house chores. “I only go out to stack up on essentials,” he said. “We basically stay home with the kids.” Before the pandemic struck, Dignadice would join Fil-Am leagues and keep in touch with former PBA players in Los Angeles, including Naning Valenciano, Macky de Joya and Django Rivera. He was a regular with the La Salle team in the UAAP/NCAA Alumni League in Los Angeles. Dignadice was recently involved in bringing Fil-Am Roosevelt Adams to Manila. “I told coach Paul (Howard) about Adams and I’m happy he was picked in the first round of the PBA draft,” said Dignadice. “Macky’s son is another prospect but he decided to play college ball in the US. In Carson City, there are games from 8 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. every day and lots of Filipinos play. I remember meeting Kerby Raymundo and Marc Pingris when they dropped by.”

Dignadice said among American kids, soccer is the No. 1 sport, volleyball No. 2 and basketball No. 3. “My daughter Adrianne is 5-6 and playing volleyball but Sophia is into basketball,” he said. “They’re both playing for the varsity at Madrona Middle School in Torrance.”

In the PBA, Dignadice said his toughest opponent was Ramon Fernandez and he was relieved when they became teammates at San Miguel. “Coach Ron (Jacobs) was special, he was like my father,” he said. “My best moments as a player were with coach Ron, when I defended Harold Pressley and Joe Wolf at the 1985 Jones Cup which we won, when we played against Drazen Petrovic and David Robinson at the 1985 FIBA Clubs Championships in Spain. In the PBA, I defended imports like Norman (Black), David Thirdkill and Joe Binion.” Dignadice was on the last Philippine team that won the FIBA Asia Cup in 1986 and the last Philippine team that won a silver medal at the Asian Games in 1990.

“If I had a chance to give back, I’d do basketball clinics and teach kids back home,” said Dignadice whose oldest son Bryce, 24, lives in Manila. “It’s what I’m doing in L. A., teaching fundamentals and basic skills. I’ve always told the kids I’m teaching to work hard, stay focused, and practice. Don’t just hope, you’ve got to put in the work because there are others who’re working hard, too and you’ve got to prove you work harder.”