Happy Birthday, Benjamin "Benjie" Chua ( Feb 10 )

Happy Birthday, Benjamin "Benjie" Chua

1980 PBA rookie direct hire
University of the East Red Warriors guard
1980 PBA Open Conference champion
2-season PBA veteran
U/Tex Wranglers backup guard
Former PBA referee

Source : Assorted Magazines (PBA Archives Collections)

Benjamin Chua
Born Feb. 10, 1954. 5-10%, 142 lbs. Guard.
A recruit from MICAA's Solid Mills, he put in a better-than-average performance in his first year with the pros. His solid ball-handling and court presence makes him a potential court general for the Wranglers, a quintet which operates most effectively out of set plays. He's got a lot of good years ahead. Ben or 'Tintoy' (as he is called by colleagues in his team) Chua is a 5'10-1/2', 130 lbs., guard from the Solid Mills quintet. Bushybrowed, chinky eyed reminiscent of his Chinese forbears (hundreds of Chuas in the Philippines are with Chinese forbears and halfChinese ancestries), a rather scraggly mustache framing his upper lips, you'd never notice him since he is not a top scorer, neither can he qualify as star of his team  nor would you pay extra attention to his position as sentinel. Until you watch him closely, you observe him as he brings the ball down-court and calls the shots prior to the plays which his cronies on the hardcourt.  Then you'd note: he is not easily rattled by harrassing plays; he is not one to easily fumble (although he has his own share of errors as everybody has) or is he one to play to the grandstand. In short, Chua is a team-man, a true-blue team man. Who calls the shots; who distributes the leather, who scouts speedily for the open man and passes the spheroid to the guy. Or he probably moves, moves around waiting for a back-pass to him, and then connects if he can But a real insight on the person comes when he says, all too sen sibly: 'It's not for me to score, the forwards are there. The important thing is team-work, not individual plays. My first priority, therefore, is to be able to give the ball to someone who is open... second priority of course, is to be able to score but whether I score or not is immaterial. If someone from our team scores, that's better for all... In short, Chua is a consumate team-man. Not one to seek the limelight; not one to hug the glare of attention or be the cynosure of eyes or the recipient of hallelujahs and hurrahs from an admiring crowd. Watch Chua when he does his guard duties with the Solid Mills quint in the amateur MICAA league. Slim, light on his foot (he admires Jaworski and Revilla for their work as guards) alert, wily even, Chua is an asset to the team. His coach, Arturo Valenzona speaks highly of him. Ditto with his teammates. Okay 'yang si Tintoy, someone opined. Observed his deportment, too, off the court. A photo of modesty, unassuming, never boisterous.