MAKING his first appearance in the PBA in decades, Jimmy Noblezada playfully banged bodies with, first, Meralco big man Raymond Almazan and later June Mar Fajardo of San Miguel on a nostalgic night celebrating the league's 50th anniversary.
“Kaya binangga ni Noblezada, tinitignan pa rin niya kung Iron Man pa rin siya,” said San Miguel coach Leo Austria in jest about the moment.
“Eh bumangga sa pader,” said Austria, referring to Fajardo.
READ Why this former PBA star retired at 31 to retreat to a simple life
Noblezada, 74, was one of the players that saw action when Asia's first professional cage league played its first game on April 9, 1975. He was part of the Concepcion Carrier team that went up against Mariwasa Noritake.
Austria said Noblezada was one of the league's original tough guys.
“He knows how to use his physical [abilities]. Gifted siya eh," the SMB coach said of Noblezada, who won two championships with U-Tex - first in the 1978 Open Conference when the Wranglers defeated Crispa, and in the 1980 Open Conference when they beat Toyota.
"Nung araw, ang basketball, hindi katulad ngayon na napag-aaralan ‘yung mga skills. Nung araw, puso eh at makikita mo ‘yung pangugulang, nandoon, pangugulang na today, ang sinasabi doon ay technique," Austria added.
Austria remembers playing against Noblezada in age-group games after his retirement; he was like that, too.
“Nung retired na siya, sa mga 40 above, 50 above [na liga], nagkakalaro kami. And he is really a very brilliant player,” said Austria, an eight-year PBA veteran and the league's Rookie of the Year in 1985.
Austria said Noblezada epitomized the brand of basketball during the early years of the PBA.
“Maaappreciate mo sila noon kasi kapag naglaro sila nung araw, merong ‘no harm, no foul’ to the point na sometimes, ‘no blood, no foul’ at walang pikunan,” said Austria.
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