THIRTEEN years ago, when he died, I wrote of former PBA Commissioner Rodrigo “Rudy” Salud:

“Former PBA commissioner Rodrigo “Rudy” Salud was more than just a sports personality to me.

Salud was a consummate gentleman. He was a true sportsman, a brilliant lawyer and a loyal friend who could do no wrong, could never let you down.

It is not surprising that most people hold him to a higher standard than the rest in the sporting world.

And Salud, who passed away peacefully last Monday at the age of 72, was truly one of the few finest sportsmen I knew in my entire sportswriting career.”

I also wrote of Salud:

“You have to know him personally to really appreciate and like him. When he stood as a ninong to my wedding to my lovely wife Liza back in December 1988, he was already generous with his advises on the married life. He didn’t tell us exactly the secrets for a successful family life, but he was kind enough to remind us of how important to put God in the center of the relationship and the value of loving each other unconditionally.

When he voluntarily left his job as commissioner of the PBA to join the campaign staff of businessman-sportsman Danding Cojuangco during the 1992 presidential elections, I had the privilege of seeing him several more times in the company of the late newspaperman Max Buan.

But the last time I saw him was during a late-Thursday night visit at the St. Jude Shrine near Malacañang. He was sitting by his lonesome in one of the front rows of the church, while his loyal friend and confidant George Alcantara stood watching him nearby.

When I approached him several minutes later, he insisted I took a ride with him and joined him for a late-night merienda in one of the cozy restaurants in Timog Ave., where we talked for more than an hour about basketball and of course, family.”

In a sports world full of over-staying and under-performing leaders, Salud is undoubtedly one of the finest gentlemen this country ever had.

When he diedin 2011, many sports greats openly mourned the passing of a giant among them.

And long after his passing, the basketball world remembers him fondly whenever the discussions turn to the finest people we ever meet in sports.

This month, we remember him with fondness twice — on his 86th birth anniversary on March 13 and his 13th death anniversary on March 7.

I take comfort in the fact that even now that he’s gone, I still get the feeling that he’ll still be there to provide guidance and assistance in some strange ways.

We miss you, Ninong Rudy.

* * *

Expect the University of Santo Tomas Tigers to be a lot more different team in the coming UAAP basketball season.

Unlike last year, UST coach Pido Jarencio believes the España-based Tigers have better chances of competing, especially with the addition of Gilas Youth big man Zain Mahmood to their frontline.

Mahmood, a 6-7 big man out of Maranatha High School in California, should be a welcome addition to the UST roster.

“Hindi lang malaki si Mahmood, skilled din siya kaya napakalaking addition niya para sa program natin,” said Jarencio, who joined Institute of Physical Education and Athletics (IPEA) director Fr. Rodel Cansancio, OP, and team manager Eric Ang in welcoming their their new recruit.

“Alam naman natin na yung malalaki ang kulang sa atin last season, so maganda ang nakikita nating future para sa batang ito,” Jarencio told sportswriter-friends.

Mahmood is best remembered for playing for the national youth team in the 2022 FIBA Asia U-18 Championship in Qatar, where he averaged 11.3 points and 5.8 rebounds in 24 minutes of action.

.The 19-year-old center also strut his stuff for Fil-Nation Select in last year’s NBTC National Finals last year.

In another UST announcement, unheralded big man Brix Verzosa is also joining the Tigers.

Personally recruited by coach Manu Iñigo during the pandemic, the 6-10 Verzosa tallied 3.1 points and 4.6 rebounds for the Tiger Cubs in the recenthigh school boys basketball tournament.

“Ito ang mga kailangan ng programa natin dahil alam niyo naman gaano tayo kahirap sa loob last season. Umaasa tayong made-develop pa natin itong mga malalaking batang ito,” said Jarencio.

Mahmood and Verzosa will join the UST frontline that also includes Christian Manaytay, Migs Pangilinan, Echo Laure, and Gelo Crisostomo.

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