Happy Birthday, Alvin Magpantay ( Sept 12 )
Aris Garcia
Happy Birthday, Alvin Magpantay
1999 PBA Rookie direct hire for the Tanduay Rhum Masters
Dela Salle Green Archers / Letran Knights forward
1-season PBA player
Source : Assorted Magazines (PBA Archives Collections)
ALVIN MAGPANTAY
Lanky Alvin Magpantay could have easily made it to the National Youth team that will compete in the ABC 19-and-under tournament this October save for one important detail. He turns 20 on September 12, a month before the Youth tourney commences. "Sayang, I really wanted to play for the national team. I made the initial cut but when they told me I would be overage for the tournament, I quit," said Alvin, a sophomore on the La Salle roster. The 6-2, 150-pound Magpantay is getting all the breaks now from coach Gabby Velasco. He has taken over the spot vacated by Johnedel Cardel who has played out his five-year eligibility with the Archers. "Of course, coach Derick Pumaren also gave me some playing time last year. But I couldn't expect more because we had a lot of good players then. This year, I'm happier because I can now show everyone what I can really do," he said. Alvin played junior ball for Letran College in the NCAA and was once the leading scorer of the Squires averaging more than 20 points a game. He should have moved up to the Knights' fold but La Salle beckoned and he decided to go to the Archers. Alvin is the eldest of four children (Arnold, Abigail and Abel Jr. are the others) of Abelardo Magpantay, Sr., an employee at Joker Arroyo's firm, and Marieta Balbas. "Of course we are still sad because the UAAP Board maintains that FEU is the champion despite a declaration coming from the BAP. We gave it our best shot last year. I guess we'll just have to live with that," he said. But definitely, La Salle will try to prove everyone wrong and ascended to the champion's throne anew this year. "We played lousy against UST and lost. That will never happen again. I guess our chances of winning the title are just as good as the chances of the rest of the leaders," he said..
