In the quiet seaside barangay of Sta. Cruz, Virac, a boy named Anthony Urbano discovered a passion that would shape his life.
At just 11 years old, he picked up a basketball, a playful move that would later ignite a journey that would lead him from local courts to national competitions, to the esteemed ranks of the Universities Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP), and ultimately to being awarded Coach of the Year honors earlier this month at the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Season 99 Kiddies Basketball Tournament.
𝐄𝐚𝐫𝐥𝐲 𝐋𝐢𝐟𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐄𝐝𝐮𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧
Anthony Urbano’s formative years were spent at Virac Pilot Elementary School (VPES) and Catanduanes National High School (CNHS). It was during these years that his athletic skills began to shine.
In 1991, he represented Catanduanes in the Bicol Meet in Sepak Takraw, a sport that allows players to use only their feet, knees, chest and head.
He was the only one among the three boys and four girls born to former Councilor Joshue Urbano and Antonia Amador to take a liking to ball sports.
Two years later, he successfully transitioned to basketball, allowing him to develop his dexterity on the court and showing his skills during the 1993 Palarong Bicol in Tabaco City where the islanders won the championship. These experiences laid the foundation for his future in sports.
𝐒𝐭𝐞𝐩𝐩𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐍𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐠𝐞
Urbano’s talents soon took him beyond local meets. In 1994, he competed in the Palarong Pambansa held in Isabela, and by 1997, he was a key member of the basketball team that represented Bicol region in the national meet of the State Colleges and Universities Athletic Association (SCUAA) in Naga City.
These experiences not only honed his skills but also prepared him for the competitive world of university sports.
𝐔𝐧𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐂𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐞𝐫 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐁𝐞𝐲𝐨𝐧𝐝
A walk-in tryout at National University (NU) marked a significant turning point in Urbano’s career. His determination paid off as this earned him a spot on the team and allowed him to compete in the UAAP in the next four years.
After college, his career continued to flourish as he played for a team in Cebu. He also joined and competed in various commercial leagues such as the CBL, PYBL, NBL, and MBL.
Urbano started his coaching career in 2003 when the National University (NU) Bullpups juniors team needed a coach. As an assistant coach for the NU Bulldogs, he was entrusted by the president to lead the juniors team but the mentoring phase in his life was to be short-lived.
𝐑𝐞𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐧 𝐭𝐨 𝐕𝐢𝐫𝐚𝐜 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐟𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐋𝐢𝐟𝐞
In 2005, Urbano came back to his roots in Virac, where he dedicated the next 18 years of his adult life to work at the First Catanduanes Electric Cooperative, Inc. (FICELCO).
His return to the island, however, did not diminish his passion for basketball. As a matter of fact, whenever their company was invited to local leagues, he would always lead his team to numerous victories. They also consistently won championships at the Bicol Electric Cooperatives Association (BECA) Sportsfest.
𝐂𝐨𝐚𝐜𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠: 𝐀 𝐍𝐞𝐰 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫
Nearly two decades after leaving the metropolis, Urbano was at work at the cooperative headquarters in Marinawa, Bato when he received an unexpected call from an old NU teammate, whose invitation for Anthony to return to Metro Manila changed the course of his life once again.
“Dating kong teammate sa NU ang head coach ning Arellano na si Çhico Manabat tapos ang consultant naman dati kong coach sa NU na si Manny Dandan,” he recalled.
Anthony could not help but embrace the opportunity to coach at a higher level again and bring his wealth of experience and passion for the game to a new generation of players.
The NCAA Season 99 championship run
Tapped to coach the Arellano Braves beginning 2023, Urbano began honing his team of young players to compete at a higher level and soon this became a reality, with the team banking on its seven wins in the elimination round to enter the semis of the Kiddies Basketball Tournament for Under-16 players.
Despite losing their twice-to-beat advantage in the semifinals against Lyceum of the Philippines University (LPU) via a one-point loss in Game 1, Anthony’s charges managed to win the next two games, pulling through to the finals against San Beda University.
In the title-clinching game held at Arellano University’s Pasay City campus, with the Braves in the driver’s seat late in the fourth quarter, the San Beda Red Cubs suddenly caught fire from rainbow territory, with a triple forcing a 68-all deadlock with 1:44 to go.
The two teams exchanged threes to knot the count at 71 before Urbano’s team closed out the game, 75-71, despite botching two free throws in the final 2.9 seconds.
Urbano won NCAA Coach of the Year honors while his ward, Laurence Pillas, was named tournament Most Valuable Player.
He shared his hard-won victory with his family: wife Jane Arcilla, son Heroshi and daughters Courtney, Trisha, Jarmaine and Tracy.
𝐀 𝐏𝐡𝐢𝐥𝐨𝐬𝐨𝐩𝐡𝐲 𝐆𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐝 𝐢𝐧 𝐄𝐱𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞
“Coaching in the UAAP and NCAA comes with immense pressure and challenges, but it’s incredibly rewarding,” Coach Urbano shares.
He also offers sage advice to his fellow coaches.
“Continue teaching the right values to your players, not just in basketball but in life. Patience is crucial, as we are like second parents to them. Have a structured practice program, focus on skills development, and always have a game plan. Our goal is to help these kids reach their potential and positively impact their lives.”
As a former student-athlete who dreamed big, he offers this advice.
“Never neglect your studies. If you dream of playing in Manila, you need discipline, hard work, dedication, respect, and sacrifice. Being a student-athlete is tough but fulfilling. Never give up on your dreams.”