THREE years an apprentice, and now his first as the master.
Denok Miranda takes on head coaching role at FEU
Former FEU Tamaraw cager, assistant coach, and incoming lead tactician Denok Miranda has taken the biggest leap of his coaching career to date as the new head coach of his former college team in UAAP Season 86.
Miranda had a fruitful career in Morayta as part of the UAAP title-winning squads of Season 66 (2003) and Season 67 (2004) before a fabled 12-year PBA run with seven teams.
Moreover, Miranda was part of the PBA's 2006 All-Rookie Team and won two league titles during his stints with Sta. Lucia Realtors (2007-08 Philippine Cup) and Petron Blaze Boosters (2011 Governors' Cup).
He returned to his alma mater in 2019 as an assistant for both juniors and seniors' teams before FEU released Olsen Racela in the Tams' first Final Four no-show since 2012.
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Miranda did not shy away from the topic of nerves and changes in as his head coaching debut in their season-opening match on Sep. 30 against the UE Red Warriors.
“First year ko ngayon sa UAAP (as head coach) and then siyempre nakabalik pa ko sa alma mater ko," Miranda admitted.
"Siyempre nanibago rin ako kasi nu’ng assistant coach ako, medyo makulit ako sa mga players eh. Ngayon medyo nagbago since 20 players ‘yung kailangan kong asikasuhin, siyempre iba-ibang personality, ako na ‘yung mag-babaton sa’min," he added.
And even after an improved 5-9 performance in the Season 85 prelims, Miranda bared the team's pursuit of mastering the new system en route of picking up key improvements.
"Ang goal ko naman this season is i-improve ‘yung last season namin. Hindi kasi natin masabi ngayon kasi lahat malalakas ‘yung teams. One game at a time at hopefully makapasok kami sa Final Four," Miranda said.
"So far, mina-master pa namin ‘yung sistema namin kasi ‘di naman ganun kadali ‘yan eh. Pumasok ako nang may bagong sistema, ‘di naman overnight ‘yan (pero) may progress kami ngayon at hopefully pumick-up agad kami this first round or second round," he added.
However, the biggest roadblock of them all, as per Coach Denok, is maintaining on-court composure at all times.
"‘Yung composure (ang biggest challenge) kasi ang college ball, mabilis talaga ang pace. So tinuruan ko sila for this season na mag-compose lalo na kapag up and down ‘yung laro, kapag scrappy. ‘Yun ‘yung turo ko sa kanila na ‘wag talagang ma-rattle," Miranda said.
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