Philip Cezar
Encyclopedia
Philip "The Scholar" Cezar is a former Philippine Basketball Association
basketball player. He was part of the fabled Crispa Redmanizers
ballclub that won two Grand Slams
, in 1976 and 1983. He won the Most Valuable Player
award in 1980
. He was also a many-time Philippine national team player in the 1970s. He was also known by the moniker "Tapal King".
, some consider him the best “thinking” power forward in the history of the PBA, hence, he was dubbed as “The Scholar.” He is the premier example of a power forward with finesse unlike the power forwards of today like Eric Menk
and Danny Ildefonso
, and much earlier, Alvin Patrimonio
and Nelson Asaytono
, who rely primarily on sheer power and brute strength. Though barely 6'3" and less than 200 pounds, Cezar was usually given the unenviable task of guarding tall imports from opposing teams. On defense, his unusually long arms served him in good stead, using them in his famous "umbrella-like" defense and two-handed shot-blocks. And though he played the No. 4 position for most of his career, he was like a second point guard on the floor, often orchestrating big plays and dishing out timely passes. Cezar could also run the floor and finish fastbreaks with his patented "stretch" lay-up. He is best remembered as the very first one-on-one champion of the league when he defeated Ramon Fernandez
in the finals of the 1979 Sprite One-on-One challenge where he won P25,000.00. He is also a consummate professional player, as he, though originally from Crispa, served as a long-time assistant coach to Robert Jaworski
of the rival Toyota during the champion teams of Ginebra in the late 80s and early 90s. He finished his career with a total of 12,077 points good for No. 6 among all-time PBA scorers.
In 2000, he was named as one of the PBA's 25 greatest players of all-time in elaborate awards ceremonies that highlighted the 25th year anniversary of the league.
In 2005, Cezar, described by the eminent sportswriter Ronnie Nathanielsz as like a gazelle who is graceful and fluid in motion http://www.manilastandardtoday.com/?page=sports04_may24_2005, was part of the twelve initial inductees to the PBA Hall of Fame alongside fellow Crispa players Atoy Co
and Bogs Adornado
, and Toyota stalwarts Jaworski, Francis Arnaiz
and Fernandez together with former PBA Commissioners Leo Prieto, Emerson Coseteng and Atty. Rudy Salud as well as legendary Crispa coach and team manager, respectively, Virgilio "Baby" Dalupan
and Danny Floro, and the late anchorman Joe Cantada
.
He finished his illustrious PBA career as the No. 6 leading scorer with 12,077 points behind Fernandez, Abet Guidaben
, Alvin Patrimonio
, Atoy Co
and Nelson Asaytono
. He also is the fifth all-time best rebounder with 5,834 total rebounds behind Fernandez, Guidaben, Jerry Codiñera
and Patrimonio and was No. 2 in shotblocks with 1,370. He also had 3,130 assists (3.4 assists per game), 599 steals, converted 2066/2767 free throws in 28127:05 minutes played in 918 games. Along with Fernandez, they are the only two players in PBA history who has accumulated at least 12,000 points, 5,000 rebounds and 1,000 shot blocks.
to a championship in the now defunct Metropolitan Basketball Association
beating the Negros Slashers
in six games, 4-2.
first under Mayor (now Senator) Jinggoy Estrada
and later on Jinggoy's brother, Mayor J. V. Ejercito.
Months prior to the 2001 elections, he was appointed as Acting Mayor of San Juan while then Mayor Estrada was serving his suspension due to the plunder charges levelled against the latter and his father, former Philippine President Joseph Estrada
.
for its third season. In 2005, he accepted the job as the new head coach of the Philippine School of Business Administration
.
Philippine Basketball Association
The Philippine Basketball Association , is a men's professional basketball league in the Philippines composed of 10 company-branded franchised teams. It is the first and oldest professional basketball league in Asia and the second oldest in the world after the NBA...
basketball player. He was part of the fabled Crispa Redmanizers
Crispa Redmanizers
The Crispa Redmanizers was a basketball team in the Manila Industrial Commercial Athletic Association , the Philippine Basketball Association and the Philippine Amateur Basketball League from the 1960s to the early 1990s.- Profile and history :...
ballclub that won two Grand Slams
Grand Slam (PBA)
The Grand Slam in the Philippine Basketball Association refers to a PBA team who has won all three conferences in a single season. After the PBA reduced the number of conferences from three to two beginning in 2004, the term became quite obsolete to some...
, in 1976 and 1983. He won the Most Valuable Player
Philippine Basketball Association Most Valuable Player award
The Philippine Basketball Association awards the Most Valuable Player award at the end of the season. The winner is selected via votes from the press, players, coaches and top PBA officials....
award in 1980
1980 PBA season
The 1980 PBA season was the sixth season of the Philippine Basketball Association .-Season Highlights:The season was best remembered for the famous " Last 16 seconds" of the First Conference championship between U/tex Wranglers and Toyota Tamaraws...
. He was also a many-time Philippine national team player in the 1970s. He was also known by the moniker "Tapal King".
PBA career
Coming from the JRU Heavy BombersJRU Heavy Bombers
The JRU Heavy Bombers are the National Collegiate Athletic Association basketball team of the Jose Rizal University.They currently have the longest championship drought in the NCAA with 38 title-less seasons....
, some consider him the best “thinking” power forward in the history of the PBA, hence, he was dubbed as “The Scholar.” He is the premier example of a power forward with finesse unlike the power forwards of today like Eric Menk
Eric Menk
Eric Conrad Menk is a Filipino-American professional basketball player in the Philippine Basketball Association for the Barangay Ginebra Kings...
and Danny Ildefonso
Danny Ildefonso
Danilo Ildefonso is a Filipino professional basketball player for the Petron Blaze Boosters in the Philippine Basketball Association. Nicknamed Danny I and The Demolition Man, Ildefonso is a two-time PBA Most Valuable Player in 2000 and 2001...
, and much earlier, Alvin Patrimonio
Alvin Patrimonio
Alvin Vergara Patrimonio , nicknamed "The Captain" and "Captain Lionheart" is a retired Filipino professional basketball player from the Philippine Basketball Association and is the current team manager of his former team, the Purefoods Tender Juicy Giants.Patrimonio holds several PBA records...
and Nelson Asaytono
Nelson Asaytono
Nelson Asaytono is a retired professional basketball player of the Philippine Basketball Association, also known as "The Bull" for his monster dunks...
, who rely primarily on sheer power and brute strength. Though barely 6'3" and less than 200 pounds, Cezar was usually given the unenviable task of guarding tall imports from opposing teams. On defense, his unusually long arms served him in good stead, using them in his famous "umbrella-like" defense and two-handed shot-blocks. And though he played the No. 4 position for most of his career, he was like a second point guard on the floor, often orchestrating big plays and dishing out timely passes. Cezar could also run the floor and finish fastbreaks with his patented "stretch" lay-up. He is best remembered as the very first one-on-one champion of the league when he defeated Ramon Fernandez
Ramón Fernández
Ramon S. Fernandez is generally regarded as the greatest basketball player produced by the Philippine Basketball Association. Fernandez won four Most Valuable Player awards and a record of 19 PBA championships bagged...
in the finals of the 1979 Sprite One-on-One challenge where he won P25,000.00. He is also a consummate professional player, as he, though originally from Crispa, served as a long-time assistant coach to Robert Jaworski
Robert Jaworski
Robert Salazar Jaworski , also known as Sonny Jaworski, Bobby Jaworski, Robert Jaworski, Sr. or simply Jawo, is a former Philippine senator, basketball coach and Manila Industrial and Commercial Athletic Association and PBA basketball player.Known as The Big J and called The Living Legend...
of the rival Toyota during the champion teams of Ginebra in the late 80s and early 90s. He finished his career with a total of 12,077 points good for No. 6 among all-time PBA scorers.
In 2000, he was named as one of the PBA's 25 greatest players of all-time in elaborate awards ceremonies that highlighted the 25th year anniversary of the league.
In 2005, Cezar, described by the eminent sportswriter Ronnie Nathanielsz as like a gazelle who is graceful and fluid in motion http://www.manilastandardtoday.com/?page=sports04_may24_2005, was part of the twelve initial inductees to the PBA Hall of Fame alongside fellow Crispa players Atoy Co
Atoy Co
Fortunato Co, Jr., better known as Atoy Co, is a former Philippine Basketball Association basketball player and actor who was part of the fabled Crispa Redmanizers ballclub that won two Grand Slams, in 1976 and 1983. He won the Most Valuable Player award, in 1979 and a 9-time Mythical First...
and Bogs Adornado
Bogs Adornado
William "Bogs" Adornado is a former Filipino athlete who played basketball in both the amateur and professional ranks. He made his mark playing in the Philippine Basketball Association from 1975 to 1987...
, and Toyota stalwarts Jaworski, Francis Arnaiz
Francis Arnaiz
Francis C. Arnaiz is a former Filipino professional basketball player in the Philippine Basketball Association. He played for Toyota and Ginebra San Miguel from 1975-1986...
and Fernandez together with former PBA Commissioners Leo Prieto, Emerson Coseteng and Atty. Rudy Salud as well as legendary Crispa coach and team manager, respectively, Virgilio "Baby" Dalupan
Baby Dalupan
Virgilio "Baby" Dalupan is a Filipino former basketball coach and player. He is the son of University of the East founder Dr. Francisco T...
and Danny Floro, and the late anchorman Joe Cantada
Joe Cantada
"Smokin'" Joe Cantada, born Jose Maria Cantada was a Filipino TV host, anchor & commentator. He died of lung cancer in March 1992....
.
He finished his illustrious PBA career as the No. 6 leading scorer with 12,077 points behind Fernandez, Abet Guidaben
Abet Guidaben
Alberto "Abet" Guidaben is a former Philippine Basketball Association basketball player. He was part of the fabled Crispa Redmanizers ballclub that won two Grand Slams, in 1976 and 1983...
, Alvin Patrimonio
Alvin Patrimonio
Alvin Vergara Patrimonio , nicknamed "The Captain" and "Captain Lionheart" is a retired Filipino professional basketball player from the Philippine Basketball Association and is the current team manager of his former team, the Purefoods Tender Juicy Giants.Patrimonio holds several PBA records...
, Atoy Co
Atoy Co
Fortunato Co, Jr., better known as Atoy Co, is a former Philippine Basketball Association basketball player and actor who was part of the fabled Crispa Redmanizers ballclub that won two Grand Slams, in 1976 and 1983. He won the Most Valuable Player award, in 1979 and a 9-time Mythical First...
and Nelson Asaytono
Nelson Asaytono
Nelson Asaytono is a retired professional basketball player of the Philippine Basketball Association, also known as "The Bull" for his monster dunks...
. He also is the fifth all-time best rebounder with 5,834 total rebounds behind Fernandez, Guidaben, Jerry Codiñera
Jerry Codiñera
Jerry Codiñera is a retired professional basketball player of the Philippine Basketball Association. He is nicknamed the "Defense Minister" for his prowess at the defensive end. He is also a member of the 25 Best Players of all Time of PBA and Philippine men's national basketball team of the 1994...
and Patrimonio and was No. 2 in shotblocks with 1,370. He also had 3,130 assists (3.4 assists per game), 599 steals, converted 2066/2767 free throws in 28127:05 minutes played in 918 games. Along with Fernandez, they are the only two players in PBA history who has accumulated at least 12,000 points, 5,000 rebounds and 1,000 shot blocks.
MBA career
After his retirement he went to coaching. In 2000, he coached the San Juan KnightsSan Juan Knights
The San Juan Knights was a professional basketball team in the Metropolitan Basketball Association from 1999 to 2001. The team enjoyed considerable success, winning the MBA National Championship in 2000. The team was owned by former San Juan mayor, and now Philippine Senator Jinggoy Estrada...
to a championship in the now defunct Metropolitan Basketball Association
Metropolitan Basketball Association
The Metropolitan Basketball Association or Metroball was a professional basketball league in the Philippines founded in 1998.The MBA overtook the Philippine Basketball Association's plans on regionalization when the league adopted a home-and-away format where teams, instead of representing...
beating the Negros Slashers
Negros Slashers
The Negros Slashers also known as the RCPI-Negros Slashers was a former professional basketball team in the Metropolitan Basketball Association from 1998 to 2002. The team enjoyed considerable success, winning the MBA National Championship in 2002, the last season of the said league...
in six games, 4-2.
Political career
He also served as a long-time Vice Mayor of the municipality of San JuanSan Juan, Metro Manila
The City of San Juan or simply San Juan is a city in Metro Manila in the Philippines. Before the creation of Metro Manila, it was part of Rizal Province. Currently the smallest city in the region and the country in terms of area, San Juan is one of the smallest among the cities and municipalities...
first under Mayor (now Senator) Jinggoy Estrada
Jinggoy Estrada
Jose Pimentel Ejercito, Jr. , better known as Jinggoy Ejercito Estrada, is a Filipino politician and former film actor who has been a member of the Senate of the Philippines since 2004...
and later on Jinggoy's brother, Mayor J. V. Ejercito.
Months prior to the 2001 elections, he was appointed as Acting Mayor of San Juan while then Mayor Estrada was serving his suspension due to the plunder charges levelled against the latter and his father, former Philippine President Joseph Estrada
Joseph Estrada
Joseph "Erap" Ejercito Estrada was the 13th President of the Philippines, serving from 1998 until 2001. Estrada was the first person in the Post-EDSA era to be elected both to the presidency and vice-presidency.Estrada gained popularity as a film actor, playing the lead role in over 100 films in...
.
UCAA Commissioner & PSBA Head Coach
In 2004, Cezar was named commissioner of the Universities and Colleges Athletic AssociationUniversities and Colleges Athletic Association
The Universities and Colleges Athletic Association is an athletic association of colleges and universities in the Philippines. It was established in 2002...
for its third season. In 2005, he accepted the job as the new head coach of the Philippine School of Business Administration
Philippine School of Business Administration
The Philippine School of Business Administration is a college located in Quezon City and Manila City in Metro Manila, Philippines.-Campuses:Campuses are located in:* Sampaloc in Manila City* Aurora Boulevard in Quezon City...
.
Quotes
- from Rudy Salud, former PBA Commissioner - "As a player, Fernandez should be ranked No. 1. With his skills, I would rank him No. 1. But one little shade below him, very little shade, is Philip Cezar, a natural talent. In fact, they could even be a dead heat. Viewed from my angle, it's Fernandez in a photo finish, followed by Cezar. But viewed from the other side, it could be the other way around. Fernandez was tall, a natural advantage. He was quick, he had agility. For a tall player, he handled the ball very well. But all of those things - height, ball handling, agility - mayroon din si Cezar (Cezar also has)."
- from Tommy ManotocTommy ManotocTommy Manotoc is a former Filipino professional basketball coach in the PBA, for the U/Tex Wranglers, San Miguel Beer, Crispa Redmanizers, and the Mobiline Phone Pals and later became deputy commissioner of the PBA after Mariano Yenko died. He was also a former broadcaster for the PBA on Viva TV...
, former coach at Crispa - "Simple lang ang basketball kay Philip. (Basketball was a simple thing for Philip) He was one of our headiest players. He knew the game. He studied his opponents so well that he knew their every move."
- from Ron Jacobs, former coach of San Miguel Beer - "Probably the player I respect more than any other was Philip Cezar. I thought he was a great defensive player and, at that time, the reputation was there were certain people who would take cheap shots at other players. Philip never did that. He really played straight up and I really respected him for that. And I respected his game."
- from Tim ConeTim ConeEarl Timothy Cone, better known as Tim Cone, is an American head coach of B-Meg Llamados in the Philippine Basketball Association. He is known for leading the Aces to 13 PBA titles in its franchise history while leading the 1996 Milkmen to a rare PBA Grandslam. He also once coached the Philippine...
, coach of the Alaska Aces - "He's called 'Tapal King.' He's got pretty long hands, and he's a good defender. He's awesome, he's the great reason why Crispa was successful. He does the dirty work for the team. Aside from being a good defender, he can also score if he wants. You must admire him because Crispa that time was loaded with so many good shooters like Freddie Hubalde, William Adornado and Atoy Co but Philip can still finish in double figures."
PBA career highlights
- Member of the 1976 and 1983 Crispa Grand Slam Team
- 1-time Most Valuable Player (1980)
- 7-time Mythical First Team Selection (1976, 1978, 1979, 1980, 1981, 1983, 1987)
- 2-time Mythical Second Team Selection (1984, 1985)
- 2-time PBA All-Star
- 4-time All Defensive Team Member (1985, 1986, 1987, 1988)
- Member, PBA's 25 Greatest Players
- Member, PBA Hall of Fame http://www.pba.com.ph/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=462&Itemid=59
- Member, 5,000 & 10,000 points clubs
- Member, 1,000 offensive rebounds club
- Member, 2,000 defensive rebounds club
- Member, 2,000 assists club
- Member, 900 & 1,000 shotblocks clubs
- Member, 500 steals club
Other highlights
- Member, 1974 Asian Games
- Coach, San Juan Knights (Metropolitan Basketball Association)
- Coach, Philippine School of Business Administration (Universities & Colleges Athletic Association)
- Commissioner, Universities & Colleges Athletic Association (2004)
External links
- http://www.pba.ph
- http://www.myglobe.com.ph/portal/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=3509
- http://www.geocities.com/maong69/pba.cezar.html
- http://www.teenfad.ph/news/archives/why25.htm
- http://www.turbochargers-pba.com/dinner.shtml