When it comes to winning, Nani Epondulan knows it all too well.
Epondulan on Friday has been named by Jose Rizal University as the newest head coach of its basketball program.
A young dreamer back then, Epondulan tried his basketball luck with then Jose Rizal College in 1997 and helped the school slowly turn its fortunes around in the NCAA.
His rookie and sophomore years saw them fall short of a Final Four spot, but by his junior year in 1999, which was also their hosting year, the Heavy Bombers rose.
They were able to finish as the second seed team through the Season 75 eliminations and would enter the Final Four armed with a twice-to-beat bonus before falling twice to Kerby Raymundo-led Clegio de San Juan de Letran in the finals.
In 2000, they nearly repeated that feat after sweeping the first round en route to a top seed finish, booking another twice-to-beat incentive with Epondulan earning a Mythical Five citation. The Heavy Bombers, however, bowed twice to Perpetual in the Final Four to miss out on the finals.
In his final year in Season 77, Epondulan would be hailed as the Most Valuable Player and brought JRU back to the finals stage against San Sebastian College-Recoletos but again, they faltered in three games.
Though they have fallen twice in the finals, Epondulan felt they still won after bringing JRU to prominence.
"That 2000 run, I was part of the Mythical Five tapos nu’ng 2001 we’re back in the finals ulit against San Sebastian, umabot ng Game 3 but unfortunately we lost again," Epondulan told GMA News Online in an interview.
"But no regrets kasi I think before those finals appearances hirap din 'yung school before and kami, nagawa namin na maibalik kahit papaano."
This winning attitude is what he hopes to bring into the table in his homecoming to JRU, now as the head coach for both seniors and juniors teams in the NCAA.
However, the former MVP said it will take some time — and a lot of collective effort —before success comes along.
"Medyo feel mo agad ‘yung pressure kasi maraming expectations and resulta agad, pero may process kasi. Hindi naman overnight," he added.
Epondulan has his previous mentors to thank for this big break he got.
He spent his JRU days under the guidance of former head coach Boy de Vera, who helped him hone his skills and develop into an MVP-caliber player.
Epondulan's playing career, however, was cut short after sustaining a knee injury following his stint in the defunct Metropolitan Basketball Association (MBA).
The same injury forced him to withdraw his application in the PBA.
"When MBA disbanded, I was injured, ‘yung knee ko need operahan so I wasn’t able to join the draft kasi nga sabi sa akin ng agent ko wala rin magda-draft kasi nga injured ako. Nag-withdraw ako sa draft," he recalled.
With his basketball career in peril, Epondulan looked for another career literally elsewhere, flying to Cambodia to work as a junior accountant.
It didn't last long either as he came back home to start his coaching career.
He worked with Yong Garcia in CEU and the latter recommended him to Randy Alcantara, who was then handling just the juniors program of Mapua University before he took over the seniors team as well.
Epondulan helped the team win the Season 94 juniors basketball crown and recently, the historic Season 100 seniors championship.
"Medyo malungkot pag-alis ng Mapua kasi meron kaming ide-defend na title pero biglang lumabas ‘yung opportunity na ito which is hindi naman laging dumadating sa isang tao," he said.
"Malungkot na may halong saya kasi nakabalik ako sa alma mater ko pero at the same time, aalis ako doon sa team na I was working for six years."
As he moves to a new chapter in his career, Epondulan hopes to bring whatever he learned from his past mentors.
"Well napakalaki ng tulong na naibigay sa akin ni Coach Randy and I’m very thankful na hindi naging madamot si coach sa mga knowledge. Grabe ‘yung naging experience ko with Coach Randy."
—JKC, GMA Integrated News
