Mr. Hotshot Ato Tolentino during his playing days in the PBA.
Tolentino, ‘Mr. Hotshot’, passes away
THE basketball world lost another major pillar in coaching.
Former PBA player-turned-multi-titled coach Loreto “Ato” Tolentino passed away on Sunday, November 5.
He was 76.
His body now lies in state at the Loyola Memorial Park in Marikina City.
Tolentino, known as “Mr. Hotshot” during his playing days, was one of the founding members of the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) in 1975.
The six-foot forward from Lubao, Pampanga played for Great Taste Coffee from 1975-79 where he finished with a career average of 15.7 points a game.
As one of the league’s pioneers, Tolentino was also once among the highest-salaried players in the PBA with a P12,000 monthly paycheck.
Tolentino, whose son Elvis is also now a successful coach of the Marikina Shoemasters in the MPBL, played a total of 123 games from 1975 until an injury — a torn cartilage in his left knee — forced his early retirement in 1979.
As a sophomore in 1976, Tolentino averaged a league-best 26.9 points in 30 games, ahead of PBA greats Bogs Adornado, Estoy Estrada, Manny Paner, Francis Arnaiz, Danny Florencio, Atoy Co, Ramon Fernandez and Robert Jaworski.
PBA experts claimed Tolentino would have easily breached the 30-point scoring average if only the rules allowed three-pointers.
Before joining the PBA, Tolentino also played for the Philippine national team at the Pesta Sukan Games in Singapore alongside Rogelio “Tembong” Melencio and Sonny Reyes.
Tolentino was also a star player at University of Manila where he earned a marketing degree and Far Eastern University, where he studied banking and finance.
When he retired, Tolentino shifted his focus into coaching. And also excelled.
Tolentino rose to prominence when he steered the UM Hawks to three national inter-collegiate championships and five straight NAASCU titles, including a record 86-game winning streak, from 2001 to 2005.
His partnership with former NAASCU Chairman Atty. Ernesto de los Santos of UM even drew comparison with the successful Crispa Redmanizers tandem of Danny Floro and Virgilio “Baby” Dalupan in the PBA.
Tolentino is also credited for leading the Philippine Christian University Dolphins to their first and only NCAA title in 2004 following a 2-0 sweep of the University of Perpetual Help Altas, 70-68 and 72-60.
Tolentino also helped establish the Millennium Basketball League (MBL) with sportsman-businessman Alex Wang back in 2000.
As a coach, Tolentino led Wang’s Ballclub to several MBL and PICAA championships and other Basketball Association of the Philippines-sanctioned tournaments.
He later served as commissioner of the MBL.
He also had coaching stints at ERDC and Rizal Athletic Club in the defunct Philippine Amateur Basketball League (PABL).
