HARDLY anything changed on Blessed Antonio Varona Ortega, OP Gymnasium, commonly known as Letran Gym, from the 1970s up to now.
From the wooden Letran Knights wall at the entrance, the stacked trophy cases and the championship banners hanging from the ceiling, the arched glass windows, to the withered hardwood floor, alumni young and old could still picture how things were inside the old court back in the good old days.
And that only puts a smile on Itoy Esguerra's face.
"Masaya na bumalik ako sa alma mater ko at nakita ko ulit yung lumang gym natin," said the former Knights forward.
Esguerra, who now serves as an assistant to Magnolia coach Chito Victolero, returned to his roots on Thursday when the Hotshots played NorthPort Batang Pier in a tuneup game dedicated to ill-stricken forward Jerrick Balanza.
It was his first time in a long while to step inside the old gym as he struggled to remember how many moons ago he last went there.
"Alumni homecoming pa yata yun. Di ko na maalala kung anong taon," he shared with a laugh. "Nagkaroon lang ng aircon. Ganoon pa rin yung board, nabago lang yung frame."
But the memories he made here will always hold a special place in his heart.
"Pagpasok namin dito, may nagtitinda ng bananaque sa labas. Tapos kakain kami ng adobong puro sabaw kasi wala kaming masyadong budget pa noon. Kung anong nandoon, kung anong meron sa gym, yun ang pagtitiyagaan namin," he said.
Despite those hardships, Esguerra was able to contribute to the rich sporting history of Letran as he was a part of the 1979 men's basketball team which brought glory back to Muralla by winning the NCAA Season 55 title.
With Nemie Villegas calling the shots, that Knights team featuring Esguerra, season MVP Ramon San Juan, team captain Ed Baldomero, Pedrito "Bong" Aninon, Timoteo "Tim" Coloso, Ed Ducut, and Nonito "Nonie" Robles gave Letran its eighth cage crown in the seniors division.
"Third year ko yun noong nag-champion kami," he said. "Parang pamilya ang team namin. Walang superstar."
Unfortunately for Esguerra, he wasn't able to win back-to-back titles as fans of Letran and La Salle figured in a massive brawl at Rizal Memorial Coliseum in 1980 that forced the NCAA Policy Board to abandon the tournament.
Times may have changed but Esguerra is just glad to see the current crop of Knights still exhibiting the Arriba spirit every single time.
And with Letran in the thick of the battle in the ongoing NCAA Season 94, he'd just like to share the winning formula his team had to the present-day Knights.
"Ibang iba na ang basketball ngayon, moderno na. Pero para sa akin, isa lang ang sikreto na mapupulot nila sa team namin. Maganda ang camaraderie namin. Para kaming magkakapatid. Naglalaro kami as one big family," he said.
"Yung competition, malalakas ang kalaban. Sana makarating tayo sa championship."
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