THE COACH who guided the UST Growling Tigers to four consecutive UAAP basketball titles in the 90s passed away Thursday. He was 80.
Januario “Aric” del Rosario expired at 12:15 a.m., his son Lester confirmed.
Del Rosario served as UST head coach for 14 seasons in two separate terms: 1985 to 1987 and 1993 to 2003.
He called the shots for the Tigers during UAAP Season 56, where UST went undefeated in the eliminations to clinch the collegiate championship.
He then led the Tigers to three more consecutive championships, to capture a rare UAAP four-peat only five teams in history have done.
As a player, del Rosario won a UAAP title with the Glowing Goldies in 1964.
He also coached the Pampanga Dragons in the defunct Metropolitan Basketball Association, and the Philippine men’s team in the 2003 Southeast Asian Games. He later coached the University of Perpetual Help from 2012 to 2015.
He also worked as a consultant and assistant Coach of Toyota-Balintawak Road Kings in the Philippine Basketball League.
Del Rosario was commissioner of the NCAA from 2009 to 2011. Rommel Bong R. Fuertes Jr. with reports from Malic U. Cotongan
