Remembering Nic Jorge and His Contributions to Philippine Basketball

While Filipino basketball fans of the old may know him as the youngest coach of the University of the Philippines Fighting Maroons as well as a former national team coach, Nicanor "Nic" Jorge's contribution to Philippine basketball goes beyond him being a player as well as being a coach. It's setting up what would go down as the training grounds of future Filipino basketball stars. 

Nic Jorge, who coached the Philippine team when the country hosted the 1978 International Basketball Federation (FIBA) World Cup, has died yesterday in his sleep. But what he leaves behind is something that will live on for years to come.

And while he also served as one of the founding board members of the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (SBP), his being an advocate for grassroots basketball has paved way for the growth of players who would become the best players that Philippine basketball has ever seen. In 1978 while being at the helm of the Philippine team, he founded the Basketball Efficiency and Scientific Training (BEST) Center, or simply known as the Milo BEST Center. It helped in launching the careers of young basketball talents at a time when the Philippines has no national youth development program that was specified for basketball. Yet. And the beauty of it: Jorge also rooted in the development of the women's basketball in the country. 

Milo BEST Center has produced some of the best basketball talents such as Benjie Paras, Rey Evangelista, Jun Limpot, Chris Tiu, Larry Fornacier, Kiefer Ravena, among others. 

But perhaps, the biggest contribution that we can associate with the late Nic Jorge is that he also worked with former Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) Commissioner Jun Bernadino and former Asian Basketball Confederation (ABC) Mauricio Martelino in hopes of convincing business tycoon Manny V. Pangilinan to take over at the helm of basketball program of the country. The work of Jorge and company allowed Pangilinan and his team to get the approval of FIBA which led to the formation of the SBP. 

NIc Jorge is considered as a grassroots advocate and that, his advocacy produced the great talents that we're seeing now. And that trend will continue as long as Milo BEST is around. 

Photo is from the Facebook page of BEST Center Sports- Bacolod