TEAM USA deputy coach Chip Engelland finally reconnected with former teammates in the Philippine national team on Friday night - a happy occasion among what legend Allan Caidic termed as 'brothers for life.'
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"Nakakatuwa dahil nagkita-kita rin after a long time," said Caidic of the reunion which Engelland himself asked to be organized while he's here for the Fiba World Cup. "It's been decades, pero ang bond ng team na ito, di mo matatawaran."
Aside from Engelland and Caidic, most of the members of that NCC team that won an Asian Youth, Jones Cup, PBA, and Asian championship during its glorious run in the 80s showed up in the BGC bar close to where Team USA is billeted.
READ: US deputy coach Chip Engelland feels 'like I'm home again'
Also there were Hector Calma, Rep. Franz Pumaren, Elmer Reyes, Tonichi Yturri, Peter Aguilar, Jong Uichico, Jerry Codinera, and Engelland's fellow naturalized player Jeff Moore, who flew in from the US days ago.
This group represented the core of the last Philippine team to win the Asian championship in 1985 in Kuala Lumpur. The squad coached by the late Ron Jacobs and bankrolled by Danding Cojuangco was supposed to compete in the 1986 World Cup in Spain in July but was disbanded after the Edsa Revolution.
The NCC boys were joined by Rep. Mark Cojuangco, son of theformer basketball godfather, as well as Chit Pineda and the Lagdameo brothers.

Not everyone made it.
Dennis Still, another former naturalized player, wasn't there along with former NCC boys who are now based in the US, namely Yves Dignadice, Al Solis, Anthony Mendoza, and Naning Valenciano.
Cebu-based Leoncio Tan and Pido Jarencio also didn't make it. Samboy Lim, who is bedridden, was represented by his wife Lelen Berberabe.
Alfie Almario and Teddy Alfarero have passed on.
It was a night Engelland surely won't forget.
"S'ya yung nag-facilitate talaga, parang sabi, 'I want to see the guys," said Caidic. "Malapit talaga sa puso nya ang team."
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