RENSY Bajar gets his first major opportunity in the PBA after being appointed as the new head coach of the Titan Ultra.
Bajar, 49, takes over the coaching rein from Johnedel Cardel, who called the shots for the Giant Risers in their maiden conference in Asia's pioneering pro league.
READ Bajar, Knights deal with worst season ever
The San Beda alumnus hopes the Giant Risers will be able to pick up from where they left off in the last Philippine Cup and remain competitive despite massive changes to its lineup, primarily the trade that sent away Calvin Abueva.
"The expectation is for us to be competitive every game," said Bajar, who was among the deputies of Cardel last conference.
Bajar has had extensive coaching experience both in the pros and the college ranks, although his 2-16 (win-loss) record as Letran coach in NCAA Season 99 and 3-11 mark as coach of the UP Maroons in UAAP Season 78 remain blots in his resume.
Still, his maiden conference as Titan Ultra coach represents a shot at redemption for Bajar, who now deals with a lot of moving pieces after the trade that sent Abueva to Converge for the trio of Rey Suerte, King Caralipio, and Denver Mark Omega.
He also hopes incoming import 6-foot-10 Michael Gilmore would fit in nicely with the Giant Risers.
The 31-year-old Belgian American is expected to arrive in the country this weekend.
"Sana maging maganda agad yung chemistry ng import namin sa mga local players for this conference," said Bajar.
As part of San Beda's explosive backcourt in the mid-90s along with Ralph Emerson Rivera, Bajar was part of the 1995 Philippine Youth team which saw action in the Asian Youth Basketball Championship which the country hosted that same year.
He later won a gold medal in the 1997 Southeast Asian Games as part of the men's team handled by his college coach, the late Dong Vergeire.
Bajar then played for Pangasinan and Nueva Ecija in the Metropolitan Basketball Association before applying for the 2002 draft where he ended up as a third round pick of Formula Shell.
Following the disbandment of Shell, he transferred to Alaska and played for coach Tim Cone, where he eventually win his lone PBA championship during the 2007 Fiesta Conference.
He then branched out into coaching, initially with University of the Philippines and Diliman College, before taking on a deputy coach role with Northport starting in 2018 until the franchise was bought by Titan Ultra prior to the start of Season 50.
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