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    Yeng Guiao-Derrick Pumaren trade of coaches in 1994. Rumor or fact?

    Did the only trade of PBA coaches take place in 1994? See Rumor or Fact
    Jul 7, 2020
    PHOTO: Jerome Ascano
    rumor or fact

    RUMOR: Yeng Guiao of Swift and Derrick Pumaren of Pepsi became involved in the only coaching trade ever in PBA history during the 1994 season.

    FACTS: Just before the PBA unfolded its final conference of the season – Governors Cup – 26 years ago, Yeng Guiao and Derrick Pumaren created ripples around the league when they severed ties with Swift and Pepsi, respectively, two former expansion franchises that had become identified with them through the years.

    As puzzling as the incident was, the timing was unlikely as well, given that teams hardly change coaching personnel at this late stage of the season.

    The aftermath was more astounding. Guiao ended up going to Pepsi, while Pumaren went to Swift in a move perceived by many as a never-before-seen trade in the league involving coaches.

    Looking back, Guiao set the record straight and said no such trade occurred.

    It just so happened that both he and Pumaren – and their respective teams, too – found themselves in exactly the same unique situation back then.

    “Hindi naman nagte-trade ng coaches, e. Coincidence yun,” said the 61-year-old Guiao, now head coach of NLEX.

    Guiao remembered he was at the tailend of his contract with the RFM franchise that time, and with the season coming to its final conference, management had yet to sit down with him and discuss a possible renewal.

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    The veteran mentor tried to talk to Swift team manager Elmer Yanga about his situation. But even the amiable RFM official couldn’t guarantee him anything.

    “He also could not tell me kasi si Joey Concepcion (RFM team owner) ang may final (say) dun,” Guiao said

    When we reached out, Yanga couldn’t recall the events that led to Guiao’s departure, though he did confirm the earlier assertion of the former Gilas Pilipinas coach.

    “Sorry I cannot remember now the details of what happened,” said the inaugural and three-time recipient of the Danny Floro PBA Executive of the Year award by the PBA Press Corps. “(But), there was no trade as far as I can remember.”

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    With no hint of whether RFM still wants his services, Guiao understandably tested the market. And he did find a taker.

    Pepsi, then owned by the Lorenzos, reached out to Guiao about coaching the team, and with no initiative coming from his own ballclub, the 61-year-old mentor kept the offer an open option.

    Unknown to him at around that time, Swift also reached out to Pumaren, whose contract with Pepsi, ironically, was also expiring.

    “Nag-reach out yung Pepsi sa akin, (I was not aware) na nag-reach out din yata yung Swift kay Derrick. And I don’t think Derrick also knew that. Siyempre, kanya-kanya kaming nagne-negotiate for renewal,” said Guiao laughing while trying to piece together how everything panned out.

    “We were in the same situation. But there was no direct negotiations between the two teams,” added Guiao of his status and that of Pumaren. “They (Pepsi and Swift) were actually talking to us knowing that our contracts were about to expire.”

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    The Swift offer never came for Guiao, and so he did the next best thing by accepting the contract deal from Pepsi.

    In the same manner, Pumaren signed with Swift when Pepsi no longer expressed interest in retaining his services.

    “Ganun lang ka-simple yung nangyari. Nagmukha lang trade kasi kinuha ako ng Pepsi, kinuha si Derrick ng Swift,” narrated Guiao, a former Pampanga congressman and vice governor.

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    SPIN.ph sent a message to Pumaren in an attempt to get his side. Unfortunately, the champion coach appeared to be on a ‘Seen Zone’ mode.

    Guiao, ever generous and approachable, never bothered to ask why no offer was made to him by RFM, a franchise he steered to championships in the old PABL (Philippine Amateur Basketball League) and later on, in the pro league, including its breakthrough PBA title during the 1992 Third Conference.

    “Ako naman I will not demand any reason for that or ask any justification,” stressed Guiao. “Alangang pilitin mo sila. Ano bang ayaw ninyo sa akin? Bakit ayaw ninyo akong i-renew?”

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      But somehow, he was already hearing a lot around the league about a possible coaching switch between him and Pumaren.

      “May maririnig ka naman na parang mga rumors na, 'Uy mukhang magpapalit kami ng team.’ You hear rumors but you’re not sure until everything is formalized,” said Guiao.

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      And so came the biggest switch ever not involving players in the annals of the league.

      Pumaren was lucky enough to inherit a Swift team loaded with talent bannered by Vergel Meneses, Nelson Asaytono, Al Solis, the late RicRic Marata, Rudy Distrito, Boybits Victoria, Zaldy Realubit, Eric Reyes, a vastly-improved Bonel Balingit, and the veteran and crafty Yoyoy Villamin.

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        He quickly steered the Mighty Meaties to the finals of the Governors Cup in his first conference as coach, but they lost to Alaska in six games of the title series.

        By 1995, the team was renamed Sunkist and added a young, high-flying rookie by the name of Kenneth Duremdes to its roster. The Juicers ran away with the titles in the first two conferences and was gunning for a rare grand slam, but imploded later in the season and fell short of achieving the feat.

        In contrast, Guiao didn’t enjoy much success at Pepsi.

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        While he did steer the Megas to a third-place finish in the Governors Cup – behind best import Ronnie Coleman - when he took over as coach, Yeng couldn't replicate the same success in his stay with the franchise.

        During his first full season at Pepsi, the Bottlers compiled a 7-23 (win-loss) record and failed to make the playoffs in all three conferences.

        A year after (1996), the franchise was transferred to Lapanday Group of Companies (PILTEL) and carried the Mobiline brand beginning the Commissioner’s Cup.

        “So nag-Mobiline pa ako for a while,” Guiao pointed out.

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        Even the change in management didn’t help the fortunes of the team any, failing to advance to the playoffs for the entire season behind a 7-28 record.

        With the way the team performed the last two years, change was inevitable. But there was none of a coaching switch.

        “After my contract with Mobiline expired, kinuha nila si Tommy (Manotoc),” said Guiao.

        The champion coach would not be without a job after Pepsi. By 1997, Guiao was named. commissioner of the Philippine Basketball League (PBL).

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          POSTCRIPT: Guiao and Pumaren began their head coaching careers in the PBA at almost the same time. Yeng came on board with Swift when RFM was accepted as an expansion franchise, along with Pepsi, in 1990. Swift initially carried the brand name Pop Cola.

          Pumaren didn’t coach the Hotshots until the Third Conference when he replaced the late great Ed Ocampo after previously serving as deputy to Norman Black at San Miguel.

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          Two years since their entry, the two former expansion franchises tangled in the finals for the first time. Behind explosive import Tony Harris, Swift swept 7-Up in four games of the 1992 Third Conference title series for the franchise’s first ever championship in the pros.

          Serving as 7-Up’s import was Dell Demps, the former NBA player and general manager of the New Orleans Pelicans.

          Guiao now owns a total of seven championships to rank sixth in the all-time list. Pumaren meanwhile, never won another after those back-to-back titles with Sunkist.

          Get more of the latest sports news & updates on SPIN.ph

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          PHOTO: Jerome Ascano
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