Birthday Greetings to Joselito Guanio ( Jan 05 )

BACK in 1986 when Joe Lipa successfully led the University of the Philippines Maroons to their first-ever solo championship in the UAAP, basketball fans had already sensed that somehow the stars of that victorious quintet would eventually make it to the PBA and stamp their class in the pro league. Two years later, Ronald Magsanoc moved up to the pros and joined Shell Rimula-X. Another year later, Benjie Paras emerged as both the Most Valuable Player and the Rookie awardee of the 1989 season. There were two other notable UP stars of the 1986 vintage --both Joeys, one Mendoza and the other Guanio who were expected to follow their illustrious teammates to the PBA. Lipa said it was his goal to convert Mendoza into another Philip Cezar and Guanio into another Allan Caidic. Truth of the matter is both had the capacity to be what Lipa predicted them to be. Until a knee injury sidelined Mendoza for good leaving Guanio alone to fulfill half of Lipa's prophesy. Mendoza was drafted two years ago by Presto but failed to make the grade as he had undeniably been slowed down by the injury.