Flashback Amateur Player Feature # 18 - Manuel Jocson

Flashback Amateur Player Feature # 18 - Manuel Jocson

Former UST/FEU Player
MICAA Yshmael Player/Crispa

Former National Player ( 1962 Asian Games Champion and 1970  , 3 x ABC ( 1963, 1964 and 1965 ))

Source : Sports Weekly Magazine/Sportsworld (PBA Archives Collections)

He was the 'Bad Boy' of local basketball during the early fifties, but it was only his temper that made him lose his cool during hectic games, and this he made up by playing this best and that made him one of the best guards ever produced here. He not only stuck to his man but could be relied upon with his shooting and play-making.

The cager we are talking about is 37-year old Manuel Jocson who represented the Philippines in five international tournaments: the Fourth Asian Games in Jakarta in 1962, Second Asian Basketball Confederation championships in Taipei in 1963; 1964 World Olympics in Tokyo; Third ABC championship in Kuala Lumpur in 1965; and Sixth AGF in Bangkok in 1970. While Jocson inclusion in four national teams had merited a mark in the history of Philippine basketball, his excellence in local tournaments played a considerable part. During his time, it was the practice to have tall guards; Jocson was six feet, 1-1/2 inches and weighed 179 pounds. But today, small guards predominate RP teams like Rosalio Martirez, Mike Bilbao and Francis Arnaiz.

The most memorable moment in Jocson's 18-year playing career came in the finals of the 1965 MICAA championship match between the Admirals and the Crispa Redmanizers which team he never thought he would join five years later. The Admirals were then the defending champions. A few seconds remained and the Redmanizers were ahead by one point. Fortunately he was able to intercept the ball while they were freezing and connected with the winning basket. Jocson's winning shot drew the admiration of basketball fans but the cheers changed to jeers the next year, when in a burst of temper, he punched a referee for a call he did not like. That incident caused him a six-month suspension and the long lay-off greatly affected him and Ysmael played the 1967 season without Jocson.

When Baby Ysmael disbanded the Admirals in 1968, he transferred to Puyat Steel in 1969. The next year, he joined Crispa and was team captain when the Redmanizers won their first MICAA title after 13 years of waiting. He played for Concepcion Industries for two seasons in the Motorolas' maiden year in the MICAA (1971-72).

Jocson started his schooling at the Calderon Elementary in Tondo and finished his elementary studies in 1954 and high school at the Arellano High in 1958. It was there that he first played and was one of the mainstays in Arellano's winning the MIAA championship. With him were other stars like Pep Oyson and Santiago Fontanilla who later became San Beda Red Lions and Efren Barreto of Letran fame. He played his first collegiate stint with the University of Sto. Tomas in 1959 along with Tereso Lebunfacil, Eddie Pacheco, Roger Mercado and the late Roberto Yburan and powered his team to second place in the UAAP, behind champion Far Eastern U.

In 1960, he joined FEU and easily made the star-studded Tamaraw quintet made up of Arturo Valenzona, Boy Arazas, Romy Diaz, Oscar Lopez and the Legaspi brothers. FEU failed to win the 1960 UAAP title which went to the University of the East Red Warriors, but the Tamaraws were a surprise third placers in the national open tournament behind champion Ysmael Steel and Yco AC. His showing in the open caught the eyes of Baby Ysmael and was drafted in 1961 together with Narciso Bernardo, Gerry Cruz, Alfonso Marquez, Pacheco and Eddie Roque. He was to stay an Admiral for seven long years.