By Kristel Satumbaga
UNIVERSITY of the East officially announced the appointment of Jack Santiago as the new coach of the Red Warriors in the coming UAAP season.
The school made the announcement on its social media platforms on Monday, showing a picture of Santiago meeting the players at the Gym 5 inside its Manila campus.
Accompanying Santiago in the meeting were UE President and Chief Academic Officer Ester Garcia and Department of Physical Education Director Rod Roque.
An assistant to coach Franz Pumaren for over two decades, Santiago has won five UAAP championships with Pumaren at La Salle.
It was a homecoming of sorts for Santiago, particularly in the UE gym where he used to practice back when he was a member of the Asia Overseas Transport team under coach Roehl Nadurata in the 1989 season of the Philippine Amateur Basketball League.
Santiago faces the tough task of ending the school’s 37-year title drought.
After becoming the winningest team in the 80s following its back-to-back titles in 1984 and 1985 – thanks to the partnership of Allan Caidic and Jerry Codinera – that gave the Recto-based school its 18th title, UE’s fortunes took a dramatic tailspin.
The last time the Warriors have reached a Final Four was 11 years ago.
Under the partnership of the late Bong Tan Jr. and consultant Lawrence Chongson, the Warriors finished with 4-10 record last season.
Though UE failed to win a title in almost four decades, it has produced several stars in the PBA, among them two-time MVP James Yap and Paul Lee.