FATHER’S Day came a tad early for Louie Cu – the man behind the basketball genes of Barangay Ginebra shooting forward Ralph Cu.
The elder Cu personally witnessed his son win his first-ever PBA championship when the Kings dethroned the TNT Tropang 5G in a deciding Game 7, 88-76, to rule the second conference Commissioner’s Cup.
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For a father, it was the culmination of a long, cherished dream, more so for someone who previously played the game at a high level similar to his son.
He admitted it was a long time coming for both him and his son and came four days before Father's Day.
“It’s been a while kasi hinintay niya ito na mag-champion siya. And deserving naman siya,” he said of the younger Cu.
“Yeah (nainip ako). Ang tagal na, e,” added the one-time guard and teammate of coach Pido Jarencio at University of Santo Tomas. “Three na si Ralph, so first championship niya.”
The 29-year-old Cup was part of coach Tim Cone’s bench mob during the entire conference including the best-of-seven title series, where he submitted numbers of 1.8 points, 2.4 rebounds, and 1.2 assists as support cast to Justin Brownlee, RJ Abarrientos, and Finals MVP Scottie Thompson.
For the younger Cu, the third time’s the charm after the Kings fell short of winning a championship in the two times they advanced to the finals last season, losing both times to TNT.
For the Cu patriarch, this is what his son has been playing for ever since he was a kid.
“Maliit pa lang yan, talagang mahilig na sa basketball,” he said.
Cu suited up for UST during the time when the team was still known by its old moniker Glowing Goldies in the early 80s, playing under the late Olympian Eddie Pacheco, who was enschrined in the Philippine Sports Hall of Fame this weekend.
He was in his senior year when he became teammate with the young Jarencio, who was then a rookie.
In a previous Spin.ph interview, Jarencio described Ralph’s father as a huge 6-foot-3 guard, already quite big for a backcourt player back then.
Following his stint in Espana, Cu played briefly for CF Sharp in the Philippine Amateur Basketball League (PABL) prior to leaving the sport and pursue his own family business.
Cu said he didn't find playing professionally attractive back then.
“Hindi kasi gaano ka-attractive yung PBA dati in terms of salary,” said Ralph’s father. “Nag-boom na lang naman talaga siya.”
With his son likewise taking up the game, the comparison was inevitable.
Nonetheless, a good tree bears good fruit, and in the case of the Cus, the father acknowledged the son is way better than him.
“Di hamak na mas magaling (si Ralph). Super galing, malayo,” said the Cu patriarch with a smile.
“Tsaka dati kasi wala kaming training na ganun, yung mga assistant coaches, wala kami. Isang coach at isang assistant lang,” added the elder Cu, noting teams now hire multitudes of deputy coaches assigned with task of developing players individually.
“Walang ganun (nung time namin) na maraming assistant coaches.”
The younger Cu was picked by Barangay Ginebra in the second round (No. 23) of the Season 48 draft after initially playing for the franchise in the now defunct PBA 3x3 where he had for his teammates the likes of Kim Aurin, Donald Gumaru, and Ralph Salcedo.
Cu fits NSD to a T
His father said it was fitting his son ended up at Ginebra since true to the team’s mantra of Never-Say-Die, there was also no quit in the young Cu, whose partner is professional volleyball player and fellow La Sallian Jolina Dela Cruz.
“Yung bata doesn’t give up easily. Nung natanggal siya sa La Salle, pandemic nun, pero nagpursige siyang mag isa, nag-training,” said the father, recalling the time his son was cut from the Green Archers’ roster in his senior year during Season 85 of the UAAP.
“Talagang hilig niya (basketball). Talagang gusto niyang umabot ng PBA and bilang magulang support lang tayo ng support.”
Cu hopes this would only be the beginning of even greater things for his son.
“Sana more championships,” he said. “Isang malaking (honor). Iba ang Ginebra.”
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