Lancers at heart, for life

(Belano, Padilla remember golden year with UV national champion team)

CEBU, Philippines —  Since the University of the Visayas Green Lancers stunned the Ateneo Blue Eagles, 74-63, to become the first ever provincial team to win the National Inter-Collegiate Championships in 1957, UV has printed an indelible mark as a basketball powerhouse in the country.

From that moment on, each generation of the hardcourt warriors in green and white jersey have their own stories to tell and distinct achievements to take pride of.

For Felix ‘Donbel’ Belano, Jr. and Stephen Cenabre Padilla, one of the most lethal combo guards in the annals of Cebu hoopdom, it’s their golden year with the UV Lancers 1996 national champion team.

Under the baton of coach Jerry Aratan, the Lancers Batch ‘96 swept the titles in all tournaments they joined including the Cebu Amateur Athletic Association (now the CESAFI), the Inter-Collegiate Zonals, and the prestigious National Inter-Collegiate Championships.

Led by team captain Gary Cortes, UV’s current head coach, the other members of the multi-titled 1996 Lancers squad were Rey Cantona, Roi Lura, Deocar Zapansa, Dindo Gono, Augustus Abelarde, Rene Toring, Jurie Violango, Aldrin Ocañada, Kid Tubaon, Gabriel Maloloy-on, and Selwyn Wagwag.

Drawing added firepower from Bruce Dacia in 1997, the Lancers, aside from defending their CAAA throne, also reigned supreme in the Palarong Pambansa before steering Cebu to the basketball crown of the Philippine National Games (PNG) staged on home grounds.

They went on separate ways after that, with some showcasing their wares in the newly-minted Metropolitan Basketball Association (MBA), a community-based commercial league that caught the country by storm at that time.

In the MBA, Padilla and Lura played for the Cebu Gems, Belano was clawed by the Davao Eagles after his PBL tour of duty, Ocañada mined with the Butuan Miners, while Dacia galloped with the San Juan Knights.

For Belano and Padilla, their strong MBA showing became their launching pad to reach their ultimate dreams of playing in the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA).

Though picked 14th overall by Pop Cola in the 1999 PBA Draft, Belano spent his pro career with the Sta. Lucia Realtors, Talk ‘N Text Phone Pals, and Barako Energy Boosters. He retired in 2010 with two championships under his belt.

Padilla, on the other hand, was the 29th pick by the Alaska Aces during the 2003 PBA Draft. He was traded to Air21 Express where he was reunited with his former UV teammate Dacia in 2006.

Walking down memory lane, Belano and Padilla couldn’t help but cherish the glorious moments they had  with the Lancers in the mid 90s.

“There was a notion during our time that you can’t be a certified Lancer if you can’t raise a national championship banner with UV,” said Padilla, who now works as staff of a medical service provider in Orlando, Florida.

“It’s also been a long time since UV last won a national championship so we took it as a challenge. Me and the rest of my teammates worked hard for it with that goal in mind,” said Padilla.

All their efforts, hard work, and sacrifice paid off.

The Lancers went on to upset the star-studded  Letran Knights, then powered by Willie Miller, Chris Calaguio, Brian Viloria, and Paul Guerrero among others, to rule the 1996 National Inter-Collegiate Championships at the Andres Bonifacio College gym in Dipolog City.

UV, thus, ended its 13-year title drought on the national stage.

“It was really an unexpected moment for us,” recalled Padilla. “We were so overjoyed that we achieved that feat. It’s been several years already but the feeling of happiness and pride remains the same each time I think of that moment.”

“Aside from team spirit, I think the biggest factor of our success was coach Jerry Aratan. He was a great motivator and he’s good at keeping your confidence level high,” added Padilla, the CAAA regular season Most Valuable Player and 3-point shootout champion in his most unforgettable year with the Lancers.

Belano couldn’t agree more.

“It’s our team chemistry and the leadership of coach Jerry that guide us along the way. He’s very good in teaching skills to the players,” said Belano, the 1996 CAAA All-Star MVP.

“We played with the system of coach Jerry and obeyed his gameplans. Then each player is defense-minded and we played our designed roles to the letter,” added Belano, who, as an MBA cager with Davao Eagles, made history as the first and by far the only player to record a quadruple-double in Philippine basketball.

Belano achieved the feat on August 14, 1999 when he filled the stats sheet with 17 points, 11 rebounds, 11 assists and 10 steals during their game against the Nueva Ecija Patriots. With that feat, he changed his jersey No.9 to No.42.

Both Belano and Padilla, the 3-point shootout champion and All-Star MVP during the 1997 CAAA season, have a piece of advice for the younger generation of players if they want to attain success in whatever career path they want to take in life.

“Spent more time enhancing your basketball skills and limit exposure on social media,” said Belano, who piloted the Lancers to the CESAFI championship back in 2013. “I would also like to share my three core values in life:God, hardwork, and obedience.”

“There are some things I would like to share to aspiring players for them to succeed. They must learn how to sacrifice, instill self-discipline in themselves, and most importantly be prayerful. Whatever challenges we face in life, we draw strength from God especially with what is happening now in the whole world,” said Padilla.