When Tito Varela met Billy Ray Bates for the first time

Luis “Tito” Varela, was an outstanding amateur player and one of the heroes of the University of the East Red Warriors’ conquest of its 14^th UAAP title in 1975. A do-it-all player capable of playing all 5 positions, he was mostly utilized as a center by then UE head coach, Pilo Pumaren, providing the defensive presence inside the paint.

The Recto-based institution was solidly stacked with exceptionally-gifted offensive players. The troika of 1978 PBA Rookie of the Year Jimmy Manansala, 1976 MICAA Most Valuable and Rookie of the Year Emerito Legaspi, 1978 Philippine team leading scorer in the World Championship Ramon Cruz provided the scoring sock alongside other former PBA players Benjie Chua (later to become a PBA referee), Ric Mallari, Alex Tan and Rolly Pineda.

 Yet, Varela, not exactly known as an offensive pillar in his entire PBA career, shone brightly amidst the stellar cast of characters donning the red and white jersey of UE. Apart from being the only Filipino player that time to sport a clean-shaven head, it was Varela’s conditioning that stood out among his peers. When his teammates would spend the normal teenage life of going out and spending time with friends, Varela’s discipline was palpable, opting to spend time at the gym and working out.

Varela’s collegiate exploits were immediately recognized by national team head coach, Kiko Calilan, who included him in the Philippine national team set to play in the Bangkok ABC. His stat line is not indicative of the intangible contributions that he brought to the court – his nose for the ball, the hustle, his defensive presence, and setting up the screens for his teammates.

It wasn’t uncommon for UE players to gravitate towards the Crispa Redmanizers in the PBA because of the Baby Dalupan connection. Dalupan, Crispa’s multi-titled head coach, is part of the family who used to own UE. As such, players like Cruz, Rudy Distrito, Rey Vallejo, Alex Azurin, Rudy Soriano, Johnny Revilla and Rey Franco found themselves wearing the green and white Crispa unis at a certain point in their respective careers.

Varela was one of them. He became Crispa’s direct hire in 1976 and ended up one of the top candidates for the first Rookie of the Year award, eventually won by Toyota’s Gil Cortez. The Redmanizers were loaded with some of the best basketball players in the country – the likes of Bogs Adornado, Atoy Co, Philip Cezar, Freddie Hubalde, Abet Guidaben, Bernie Fabiosa, Rudy Soriano, Joy Dionisio, among many others. But Varela somehow managed to find his niche in the Redmanizers’ camp, as Dalupan utilized his defensive prowess to hound the opposing team’s best offensive player, including the import.  Had there been a PBA Defensive Player of the Year award handed out in the early league years, Varela would have been a recipient several times. 

It was a testament to Varela’s valuable contribution on the defensive end that he remained in the star-studded Redmanizers’ roster for 6 straight seasons. When the 4 APCOR players – Cruz, Bay Cristobal, Padim Israel and Yoyoy Villamin – were elevated to the pro ranks as direct hires of Crispa midway into the 1981 season, Varela unfortunately had to be released to free agency. The U/Tex Wranglers, then under Coach Glenn McDonald, acquired his services for one year before the franchise eventually disbanded at the end of the 1982 season.

Crispa struggled in the 1982 season, failing to win a title for the first time since 1978, as their arch rival, Toyota, dominated the season with Ramon Fernandez leading the charge, winning the MVP plum that year. Dalupan was replaced by San Miguel Beer head coach Tommy Manotoc, a 3x PBA champion with the Beermen and the U/Tex Wranglers, and was already known as one of the best coaches in the league that time. With defense as his calling card, Manotoc brought back Varela into the Crispa camp, with the idea of injecting a defensive culture on his prolific teammates.

Manotoc was also big when it came to physical conditioning. He felt that for Crispa to regain its prominent presence and dominate the league once more, his players must be capable of playing 48 minutes on both ends of the court. Varela thrived on the environment as he was the most physically conditioned local in the team, even arguably in the entire league. Manotoc would ask Varela to lead the team in running laps at the ULTRA oval, and the defensive sentinel would find himself all alone after several turns.

Then came Billy Ray Bates. After a short stint with the Los Angeles Lakers where he played his last NBA game on April 15, 1983 against the Seattle Supersonics, the former Kentucky State star found himself in Manila to play for Crispa in the Reinforced Conference which was to start exactly a month later on May 15. Bates’ reputation was evident as other PBA coaches quickly installed the Redmanizers as the clear-cut favorites to win their second conference that season.

Yet, many were just as worried if Bates would be in shape. His history of drinking and women-chasing was well publicized and they thought Bates may not have the legs nor the stamina to keep up with the pace of the game. Manotoc, himself, needed to find out, so on their very first day of practice, the coach called on Varela to test Bates’ stamina.

“Kinausap ako ni Coach Tommy, sabi sa akin na sabayan ko sa takbuhan hanggang sasumuko siya,” Varela vividly remembered in a casual discussion at the 88^th birthday celebration of Toyota coach Dante Silverio in Makati. “Alam kasi ni Tommy na ako ang pinaka-kundisyon sa Crispa, eh hindi kami sigurado kung okay ba yun stamina ni Billy Ray, kaya sa akin pinasubok agad.” 

With Bates and Varela setting the pace, the other players eventually faded after several laps. Bates and Varela were left to continue the run at ruthless speed. After more than 10 laps (around 4 kilometers) in the oval, Varela gave up. “Ibang klaseng yan si Bates. Ang lagay na yan, matagal na siya hindi nakaka-ensayo, pero ang tibay talaga.” 

Manotoc once said in an interview that the Bates we first saw in 1983 was only 70% of what his true potential was, obviously referring to his nocturnal activities as the primary culprit to the “decline” of his conditioning. And yet, here’s Varela explaining to Manotoc why he couldn’t keep up with the super import – “Coach, hindi ata tao yan, parang taga-ibang planeta naman yan!” Manotoc can only smile and beam with pride at his prized find.

Yet, Bates ramped up his drinking as he became a full-fledged superstar in the Philippines. There were several reports that Bates would be involved in bar scuffles in different parts of the country, whenever Crispa would play out of town. Varela can only laugh when recalling that Bates was holding a jug, only to find out later on that the content wasn’t water but whisky. He would reek of liquor at practice and even during games, yet, he can’t be stopped. “Kahit nakainom at kargado ng alak, ang lakas pa rin. Walang makapigil sa kanya.”

Even Norman Black, Mr. 100% and known for his discipline and being in great shape all the time, couldn’t stop his CBA rival. Black revealed on the sports podcast, “An Eternity of Basketball,” that Bates would stay out until 3AM, while he would be in bed four hours earlier, and yet, still drop 60 points on the same day. That was how good he was.” Black also paid tribute to Billy Ray’s defense. “An underrated part of his game was his defense because we all know him as a gifted offensive player. Yet, he could lock you down defensively too.” 

True enough, Bates went on to power the Redmanizers to two more championships that year – the Reinforced and the Open Conference, both against Black. He eventually returned to the Philippines in the 1986 Open Conference where he teamed up with another memorable reinforcement, Michael Hackett, to give Ginebra San Miguel and Coach Sonny Jaworski their first PBA title. By this time, Manotoc felt that Bates’ condition was already 40% of what he truly was. And still, the Black Superman remained as the gold standard among PBA imports.

Varela and teammate Atoy Co can only marvel at the exploits of their phenomenal import. Co described Bates as the greatest player who has ever worn a PBA jersey – better than Brownlee, better than Parks, better than Harris. “Si Bates, napaka-simple ng basketbol sa kanya. Pero sa sobrang galing niya, napakaganda din naman ng basetbol sa kanya. Maraming beses kaming nahuhuli na pinanonood na lang naming siya sa sobrang galing ng mga ginagawa niya,” quipped the 1979 MVP. Philip Cezar, the 1980 MVP and who was normally designated as Crispa’s import chaperone, described Bates as “iba ang dating, sobrang galing na import talaga” on the AEOB podcast. “Mas madalas ko siya kasama kasi iyun ang papel ko sa buhay, ang samahan ang mga imports namin.” The long-limbed forward also recalled Bates smashing his own car. “Kotse ko, binunggo ni Billy Ray. Siningit niya sa dalawang sasakyan sa Roxas Boulevard. Sobrang kulit, kung anong maisip, gagawin niya,” added Cezar.

Varela was smiling the whole time he was recalling his flamboyant teammate. “Masaya nun, ang feeling namin, we can dominate the league talaga dahil kay Billy. Minsan ka lang talaga makakakita ng ganyan kagaling na player. Swerte na din ako at nakasama ko siya, naging kaibigan ko, at naging tagumpay kami.” 

More on Tito Varela here: 22969

More on Billy Ray Bates here: 23864