OLD as I am, I do not recall seeing Loreto “Ato” Tolentino play in the PBA. I started writing in 1977 but got my PBA pass late 1978 I think.

Ato was injured in 1978, if I recall it right and retired in 1979. But I met him as a coach when he piloted the University of Manila Hawks to several championships in the NAASCU.

But it was the last few years that I got a chance to see him more regularly because of our common friend, Alex Wang of Wang’s Ballclub, the two are old friends as Ato became a coach for Wang’s and Commissioner for the Millenium Basketball League that Alex supports.

Alex also supported Ato when the latter achieved a rare feat — and I do not think can be duplicated by a collegiate coach Ato won three titles in one year, the NCAA with Philippine Christian, the SCUAA WITH Rizal Technological University, and NAASCU with the Hawks in 2004, missing out only the NCRAA title that year.

But despite all his accomplishnents both as a pioneer PBA player in 1975, a recognzed gunner at that, when he passed away recently, he still had a few wishes that have not come true.

For one, he wanted to see PCU back in the NCAA after it was expelled by the league, then he dreamed of being a UAAP coach, which almost came true with the University of the Philippines, and lastly, seeing his grandson Kyle with son Elvis become a PBA player, which might still come true but too late for this doting grandfather.

Last Monday night, together with Alex, and my People’s Tonight sports editor Ed Andaya, we were all at the wake of Ato in Loyola Marikina.

Fact is, the last time we three were together with Ato was a few months ago at Han Pao in Mandaluyong where Alex tendered a birthday treat for Ed.

And I decided to talk to a few people close to Ato to see the latter from these people’s eyes.

Of course one of them is Alex, then son Elvis, who followed his father’s coaching path, grandson Kyle, and PBA player Allein Maliksi, who played for Ato as a high school player in UM.

Common for all of them, Ato was a tough guy, on and off the court.

Alex says when Ato was still playing with Wang’s, Ato would elbow him, so what if he is the team owner, common bond for their intense desire to win.

Allein shared his experence when he played under Ato against some seasoned PBL players while in UM. An opponent intentionally hit him, Ato did not tell him to retaliate, what he did was sub for Allein and retalated in behalf of Allein.

Elvis says his father was really tough on his players, even on him, but if you ask the players who had the opportunity to play for his father , they all loved and respected him.

Ato, he says is the type of coach who believes that any team can be a good team, that any player can emerge as a very good player, the likes of Jayson Castro in PCU and Nelson Asaytono in UM.

And Ato was very hands on when he coached, wanting his players to indeed become better players under him.

His victories at the collegiate level all bear this out

Elvis inherited the toughness. I do not think he had a chouce with Ato as his father.

The surprise came from Kyle. He never felt the toughness that his father experienced. Ato was always there to support him, encouraging him at all times, and of all the grandchildren, he is the one most affected by his grandfather’s passing.

In fact, his mother asked her father in law one time why Ato treated Elvis very differently from the way Kyle was treated.

Ato gave a short answer, honest and true for us grandparents, “iba ang apo”.

Ato, while in the hospital, also shared with Kyle that he will not allow himself to be fed through tubes as it would make him look weak to other people..

Spoken the way Ato is, a tough man till the end.

He will be interred on Sunday at the Holy Cross, according to the family.

I am extending my sincerest condolences to the family,

Ato was a big loss but he lived a good life, took care of his family, and left a legacy in basketball that his family can be proud of.

Goodbye Ato.

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