NAASCU Former NAASCU Chairman Atty. Ernesto de los Santos, represented by his son Virgil, and multi-titlted coach Ato Tolentino, represented by grandson Kyle Tolentino, were honored by NAASCU for their contributions to basketball. Photo by Robert Andaya

NAASCU pays tribute to De los Santos, Tolentino

December 13, 2023 Robert Andaya 975 views

THE National Athletic Association of Schools, Colleges and Universities (NAASCU) paid tribute to the University of Manila duo of Atty. Ernesto de los Santos and Coach Loreto “Ato” Tolentino for their contributions to the growth of the league in particular and basketball in general.

De los Santos and Tolentino, who led the UM Hawks to five straight NAASCU titles from 2001 to 2005, were honored before the winner-take-all championship game between defending champion St. Clare College-Caloocan and Our Lady of Fatima University at the FilOIl Flying V Center in San Juan last Tuesday.

NAASCU president Dr. Ernesto Jay Adalem of St. Clare College awarded the plaque of recognition to Virgil de los Santos, who represented his father Atty. De los Santos.

Letran College mainstay Kyle Tolentino received the plaque on behalf of his grandfather, who passed away last Nov. 5.

“We (NAASCU) are deeply honored to bestow these plaques of recognition to both Atty. De los Santos and Coach Tolentino, the architects of UM’s rise as one of the country’s top collegiate teams in the early 2000s,” said Adalem.

Under De los Santos and Tolentino, UM emerged as the most dominant team by winning the title in the first five years of NAASCU.

The highlight of this five-year reign by the Hawks was an unprecedented 86-game winning streak from 2001-2005.

The partnership of De los Santos and Tolentino also captured three national inter-collegiate, national inter-secondary titles and several PICAA, NBL, MICABA and MBL championships.

De los Santos later teamed-up with Coach Jojo Castillo to win two more NAASCU titles in 2010 and 2011, bringing the total to seven.

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