Remembering Emi's game of basketball
By PERCY A OSTONAL
Michigan, USA
MEMBERS of
the JPHS class of 1966 were dulled by pain and reddened by tears.
Through
Facebook, Ms Tessie Ebriega-Escuadro
informed everyone of the demise of our elementary and high school
classmate, Elmer "Emi " Delica Santos.
He died from
myocardial infarction more commonly known as heart attack last Friday evening (September
5) at their residence in Parang, Jose Panganiban.
He was 64.
He was 64.
Our hearts
broke and some of us had difficulty accepting our loss.
From Metro
Manila and parts of the Philippines to Europe, Canada, United States and that
of Nadjaran, Kingdom Of Saudi Arabia, his batch mates were all one in saying
"what a good person he was" in so many ways.
What I can
say about Elmer:
As Mr.
Basketball:
"Ala ‘Florencio’
yan si Elmer", noted one basketball fanatic during those colorful Mambulao
pre-fiesta basketball tournaments in the mid-60s.
He was well
known with his much calculated ball handling prowess, innate ability to cut inside the shaded lane,
take right or left hands acrobatic shooting fakes , then with razor-blade
opening , take a mid-air" twisting
lay-up and create that scoring precision at will.
He was an
excellent "decoy " and passer
that made their predominant scorer, the late Robert Leona (batch '66) scored his goals amazingly beautiful
and awesome .
Both of them
wore the uniform of titlist Zarto's Tailoring against the formidable
oppositionists Leb's Tailoring , Barrio Parang selection, PIM best and the
notoriously good baskeball shooters from Paracale.
At 5'
5", Elmer represented JPHS during the CamNorte Provincial Athletics Meet
in Daet, between 1964-1966.
He was
always part of the "starting five" and played as guard-forward.
At one
point, he was selected along with his
teammates from JPHS, namely the late Leopoldo Albis Jovenal Aquino and Josefino Sayno to
represent the province of CamNorte to Bicol Regional Athletic meet with Daet
hosting a week-long sports competition and delegations coming from the provinces
of CamSur, Albay, Sorsogon, Catanduanes and Masbate.
Elmer was
always and truly a gentleman "on and off" the court that not a single
time during his basketball career that he was involved in any trouble or fight
in and out of court.
To JP
basketball tournament steering committee 2013 JP Fiesta celebration on Oct 7:
To honor
Elmer's memory, it would be nice and befitting to give him a simple recognition
and a silent moment prayer during the opening of Jose Panganiban 2013
Pre-Fiesta basketball tournament.
To our dear classmate and friend Elmer:
I WISH YOU
ENOUGH
Though your smile is gone forever
and your hand we cannot touch
Still we have so many memories
Of the one we loved so much
Your memory is our keepsake
with which we will never part
God has you in his keeping
We have you in our hearts.
It is sad to walk the road alone
Instead of side by side
But to all there comes a moment
When the ways of life divide,
You gave us years of happiness
Then came sorrow and tears,
But you left us beautiful memories,
We will treasure through the years.
-
- Unknown
Farewell, Kaibigang Elmer!!
*Danny
Zoleta Florencio was a college
basketball great and standout having played for UST Glowing Goldies in the
mid-60s . Some of his well-known teammates included George Lizares and Lawrence Mumar. He played for the
multi-titled Crispa Redmanizers in the MICAA in the early 70s. He was Crispa's
most prized possession. Florencio was known so much of his twisting hang time
layup and was considered one of the greatest human highlight during that
basketball era. Other broadcasters called him “Daredevil Danny" because of
his dreaded offensive style … he was born on Sept 5, 1947 in Manila. -Courtesy
of Wikipedia
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