New chapter on Webb page

It’s been a storybook journey for Jason Webb from playing for La Salle in the collegiate ranks to winning MVP honors in the 1996 PBL Reinforced Conference to being Sta. Lucia Realty’s first round pick in the 1997 PBA draft to suiting up in the pros until 2003 to serving as councilor in Parañaque for six years up to 2016 to joining the coaching staff of Star/Magnolia as assistant then head coach and back as assistant to an appointment as Magnolia representative to the PBA Board of Governors.

As a PBA player, Webb averaged 6.3 points in 274 games from 1997 to 2003, seeing action for Sta. Lucia, Tanduay and back to Sta. Lucia. As head coach, he piloted Star to a combined 11-22 record over three conferences in 2015-16. When Chito Victolero was replaced by LA Tenorio as Magnolia coach last July, Webb was elevated to the position of team governor in place of Rene Pardo who retired. He’ll attend his first overseas PBA Board planning session in Las Vegas next week.

Asked if he’ll miss coaching with his appointment to the board, Webb said he’s moving on. “I don’t think I’ll miss it,” he said. “I’ve closed that chapter when I accepted the responsibility of being the team governor and as team governor, I don’t plan on losing the insatiable thirst for competition and winning. The only difference is that, as a coach, we wanted to be the best team in the league. Now, as team governor, we want to be the best team competing in the best-run league, bar none.”

Webb’s father Freddie played in three PBA seasons up to 1978 and it’s a reason why he’s committed to the league. “As you know very well, my family has lived and breathed the PBA since its inception,” he said. “There is nothing that would give me greater sports satisfaction than for the next generations to experience the greatness of the PBA.”

Webb said he’ll leave decisions on roster changes and draft picks to Tenorio and the coaching staff. “They’ll figure it out,” he said. “We just want to make sure that we come up with the most competitive team that our fans and company will be proud to have.” While Tenorio is with the Gilas U16 team in Mongolia, Webb said Magnolia will take a break. “LA will only be away for a few days and won’t be missing any practices,” he noted. “The practices were arranged so that the boys are actually getting a much-deserved break while he’s away.”

In the offseason, Magnolia brought in Javi Gomez de Liaño and Paolo Taha while retiring Rafi Reavis and sending Jerrick Ahanmisi to Terrafirma. Kirk Collier and Monch Gavieres were added to the coaching staff. The Chicken Timplados Hotshots will pick sixth on the first round of Sunday’s draft.