| A cool quote about our group and why it is so great |
WELCOME TO:
"What we love to do and why!"
TAC
SINCE 1936
TIGBAUAN ATHLETIC CLUB
'' FOR THE LOVE OF THE GAME ''
A RECOLLECTION OF THE TAC BASKETBALL ORGANIZATION
BY: LARRY TUERES - October 4, 2009
I came to like basketball game
when I was about nine years
young. On several occasion
while playing at the Tigbauan
plaza, I see big, tall players
among them were Jose Hilado,
Salvador Hilado,Ramon Tueres
Sr., Jose Canto Sr.,Rafael
Canto, Leopoldo Travina Sr.,
Enrique Tavarro. That was long
time ago about the years of
late fifties. During those years,
there were no hook shots, no
back dribble.
In front of the present
Tigbauan municipal building
there used to be a rough and
dusty basketball court. Two
coconut posts were planted
north and south about 25
yards between each post. The
boards were made of wood and
painted white with three capital
letters written in black paint,
"TAC" meaning Tigbauan
Athletic Club.
According to former Tigbauan
Mayor Celso Ledesma, the TAC
organization was founded in
1936 and the founders were
Manuel Tabalada Sr., Leopoldo
Travina, Sr., Epifanio Tuclaud,
Ramon Tueres Sr., Salvador
Hilado, and Enrique Tavarro.
In the early fifties, talented
young players from Tigbauan
High School ( THS ) emerged.
Among the stars that shined
very brightly were; Jose Tras-
porto, Alex Gayamat, Rudy Tu-
laiba, Johnny Hilado, and An-
tonio Aldon. This players cap-
tured the Championship Trophy
"S W I P S A L" meet - South
Western Iloilo Public Schools
Athletic League, now called
FCDSA-First Congressional
District Schools Association.
Since that time, THS champion-
ship trophy became the inspira-
tion of the Tigbauan players.
As the towns Miagao and Oton
were trying their best to im-
prove their players, more talen-
ted guys from Tigbauan were
also on their way up giving
more power defending the cham-
pionship crown. The stars of
this team were, Fermin Trofeo
Jr., Manuel Titular, Pater
Torrecampo, Ernesto Hilado,
Rufino Tueres, and Tomas
Torrato. These guys were
equipped with shooting accura-
cy and power rebounds posing
great threats to the opposing
teams. These guys also started
game style "Fast Breaks", and
blind passing. This team also
led to the formation of team
"CRUSADER", a catholic bas-
ketball team administered by
Father Garzon, parish priest
of Tigbauan during that time.
The team however was discon-
tinued when Father Garzon left
Tigbauan Parish for another
assignment.
when I was about nine years
young. On several occasion
while playing at the Tigbauan
plaza, I see big, tall players
among them were Jose Hilado,
Salvador Hilado,Ramon Tueres
Sr., Jose Canto Sr.,Rafael
Canto, Leopoldo Travina Sr.,
Enrique Tavarro. That was long
time ago about the years of
late fifties. During those years,
there were no hook shots, no
back dribble.
In front of the present
Tigbauan municipal building
there used to be a rough and
dusty basketball court. Two
coconut posts were planted
north and south about 25
yards between each post. The
boards were made of wood and
painted white with three capital
letters written in black paint,
"TAC" meaning Tigbauan
Athletic Club.
According to former Tigbauan
Mayor Celso Ledesma, the TAC
organization was founded in
1936 and the founders were
Manuel Tabalada Sr., Leopoldo
Travina, Sr., Epifanio Tuclaud,
Ramon Tueres Sr., Salvador
Hilado, and Enrique Tavarro.
In the early fifties, talented
young players from Tigbauan
High School ( THS ) emerged.
Among the stars that shined
very brightly were; Jose Tras-
porto, Alex Gayamat, Rudy Tu-
laiba, Johnny Hilado, and An-
tonio Aldon. This players cap-
tured the Championship Trophy
"S W I P S A L" meet - South
Western Iloilo Public Schools
Athletic League, now called
FCDSA-First Congressional
District Schools Association.
Since that time, THS champion-
ship trophy became the inspira-
tion of the Tigbauan players.
As the towns Miagao and Oton
were trying their best to im-
prove their players, more talen-
ted guys from Tigbauan were
also on their way up giving
more power defending the cham-
pionship crown. The stars of
this team were, Fermin Trofeo
Jr., Manuel Titular, Pater
Torrecampo, Ernesto Hilado,
Rufino Tueres, and Tomas
Torrato. These guys were
equipped with shooting accura-
cy and power rebounds posing
great threats to the opposing
teams. These guys also started
game style "Fast Breaks", and
blind passing. This team also
led to the formation of team
"CRUSADER", a catholic bas-
ketball team administered by
Father Garzon, parish priest
of Tigbauan during that time.
The team however was discon-
tinued when Father Garzon left
Tigbauan Parish for another
assignment.
While Tigbauan basketball stars
continue to shine in the province
of Iloilo, there were teams from
other towns that visits our place
on weekends. I can still remember
a team from Fundidor, Iloilo which
mostly on every other weekends
comes to Tigbauan to play our
TAC "Our Fathers " team- TAC
Seniors. One of the players from
Fundidor can shoot and sink the
ball into the basket without
looking at the boards or the ring.
His name was "MOW HAT". One
day, one of our TAC player "
Piniano Teruel" tried to imitate
the Fundidor player shooting the
ball without looking at the ring,
fortunately, Piniano Teruel sank
the ball to the basket. That led
to naming Piniano Teruel as
" Piniano (Mowhat) Teruel. At the
present time, you can see Mowhat
Teruel not in the basketball court
but as referee in the cockfighting
arena (Bulangan) in Tigbauan.
During the mid-fifties, Tigbauan
High School Team continues to
dominate the entire first district
of Iloilo. At the provincial meet in
Iloilo, the municipalities of Tigba-
wan and Dumangas and the Pro-
vincial High School, were the
top contenders almost every year.
Those were the times of the great
and famous Iloilo player " MIKE
BUENAFLOR" of Provincial High.
Mike, a mascular, heavy, tall and
talented player, controls the ball-
game when he needs to win. He
was very powerfull during his
times. A star MVP type of a
player.
Tigbauan team sometimes beat
Dumangas, but never got a
chance to beat the Provinial High.
Our players did not give up hope
for a provincial championship,
they however tried and tried every
year but to no avail. Our players
graduated from THS with high
hope that someday Tigbauan can
beat them.
Fermin Trofeo Jr. was admitted
to ISAT School, Antonio Aldon
went to Manila, Ernesto Hilado
to Davao City, Pater Torrecampo,
went somewhere in Iloilo, Rufino
Tueres joined the Philippine Air
Force, while Manuel Titular stayed
in Tigbauan.
TAC organization produced three
more good players with potentials
for collegiate basketball. " Mario
Tugado", a lanky 5'11 Center,
Pedro Titular, 5'10 Guard, and
Piniano (Mowhat) Teruel, 5'10
Forward. These three players
were among the top names for
college varsity basketall.
Piniano (Mowhat) Teruel was
offered a job at 7up Bottling Co.
which he accepted but later re-
signed and went somewhere out
of Iloilo Province. Mario Tugado,
and Pedro Titular, became varsity
players of (CPU) Jaro Central
Philippine University.
continue to shine in the province
of Iloilo, there were teams from
other towns that visits our place
on weekends. I can still remember
a team from Fundidor, Iloilo which
mostly on every other weekends
comes to Tigbauan to play our
TAC "Our Fathers " team- TAC
Seniors. One of the players from
Fundidor can shoot and sink the
ball into the basket without
looking at the boards or the ring.
His name was "MOW HAT". One
day, one of our TAC player "
Piniano Teruel" tried to imitate
the Fundidor player shooting the
ball without looking at the ring,
fortunately, Piniano Teruel sank
the ball to the basket. That led
to naming Piniano Teruel as
" Piniano (Mowhat) Teruel. At the
present time, you can see Mowhat
Teruel not in the basketball court
but as referee in the cockfighting
arena (Bulangan) in Tigbauan.
During the mid-fifties, Tigbauan
High School Team continues to
dominate the entire first district
of Iloilo. At the provincial meet in
Iloilo, the municipalities of Tigba-
wan and Dumangas and the Pro-
vincial High School, were the
top contenders almost every year.
Those were the times of the great
and famous Iloilo player " MIKE
BUENAFLOR" of Provincial High.
Mike, a mascular, heavy, tall and
talented player, controls the ball-
game when he needs to win. He
was very powerfull during his
times. A star MVP type of a
player.
Tigbauan team sometimes beat
Dumangas, but never got a
chance to beat the Provinial High.
Our players did not give up hope
for a provincial championship,
they however tried and tried every
year but to no avail. Our players
graduated from THS with high
hope that someday Tigbauan can
beat them.
Fermin Trofeo Jr. was admitted
to ISAT School, Antonio Aldon
went to Manila, Ernesto Hilado
to Davao City, Pater Torrecampo,
went somewhere in Iloilo, Rufino
Tueres joined the Philippine Air
Force, while Manuel Titular stayed
in Tigbauan.
TAC organization produced three
more good players with potentials
for collegiate basketball. " Mario
Tugado", a lanky 5'11 Center,
Pedro Titular, 5'10 Guard, and
Piniano (Mowhat) Teruel, 5'10
Forward. These three players
were among the top names for
college varsity basketall.
Piniano (Mowhat) Teruel was
offered a job at 7up Bottling Co.
which he accepted but later re-
signed and went somewhere out
of Iloilo Province. Mario Tugado,
and Pedro Titular, became varsity
players of (CPU) Jaro Central
Philippine University.
Years later Mario Tugado and
Pedro Titular landed a job in one
of the Sugar Centrals in Negros
Occidental.
TAC made a lot of progress in
developing more players like "Bien
Trofeo, Reynaldo (Bodoy) Librodo,
Rolando Tavarro, Remegio (Meme)
Calasara, Benjamin (Nonoy) Segovia,
Ramon Tauro Tueres, Romeo Aldon,
Serafin Teruel, Luis Teruel Gonzales,
Luis Aldon, Nestor Taleon, Ermelo
Tuvida, Miguel De Los Santos and
Joselito Tejero. " Remegio Calasara,
was offered to play for VCC-Visa-
yan Central College for PRISAA Ilo-
ilo meet. He accepted the offer but
unable to play due to residency
problem. Upon graduation from THS,
some players went to college, others
joined the Philippine Air Force. Ro-
lando Tavarro was accepted to play
for UP-Iloilo.
TAC organization kept on producing
more and more players. Also during
the mid-fifties, a new breed of midget
players emerged again with new style
of playing. These children were con-
centrated to team plays and team
coordination. This midget team was
called " The Group" and their team
captain was the eagle eyed "Nelson
(Doding) Taleon. Team members were
Ernesto Gonzales, Isidoro Tumim-
bang, Romeo Cayetano, Donato Dy
(Kaisek), Ner Torilla, Bernie Hilado,
Edgardo Velez, and Armando Caman-
dillo. I was at that time in a diffe-
rent team with Nestor Ledesma, Nes-
tor Tenefrancia, Ticoy Titular, Adan
Tuvilla, Our team cannot get any win
in every game that we played against
the "Group Team". One summer time,
a team from Iloilo City, "Columbian
Squires" came to Tigbauan to play
against our midget players. Tigba-
uan selection was conducted before
the game, luckily, my name was in-
cluded in that selection along with
the "Group" players. Pedro Titular
was named Coach for the midgets.
We played against the Iloilo Team
and we won. That was a very
memorable moment in my basketball
life.
Pedro Titular landed a job in one
of the Sugar Centrals in Negros
Occidental.
TAC made a lot of progress in
developing more players like "Bien
Trofeo, Reynaldo (Bodoy) Librodo,
Rolando Tavarro, Remegio (Meme)
Calasara, Benjamin (Nonoy) Segovia,
Ramon Tauro Tueres, Romeo Aldon,
Serafin Teruel, Luis Teruel Gonzales,
Luis Aldon, Nestor Taleon, Ermelo
Tuvida, Miguel De Los Santos and
Joselito Tejero. " Remegio Calasara,
was offered to play for VCC-Visa-
yan Central College for PRISAA Ilo-
ilo meet. He accepted the offer but
unable to play due to residency
problem. Upon graduation from THS,
some players went to college, others
joined the Philippine Air Force. Ro-
lando Tavarro was accepted to play
for UP-Iloilo.
TAC organization kept on producing
more and more players. Also during
the mid-fifties, a new breed of midget
players emerged again with new style
of playing. These children were con-
centrated to team plays and team
coordination. This midget team was
called " The Group" and their team
captain was the eagle eyed "Nelson
(Doding) Taleon. Team members were
Ernesto Gonzales, Isidoro Tumim-
bang, Romeo Cayetano, Donato Dy
(Kaisek), Ner Torilla, Bernie Hilado,
Edgardo Velez, and Armando Caman-
dillo. I was at that time in a diffe-
rent team with Nestor Ledesma, Nes-
tor Tenefrancia, Ticoy Titular, Adan
Tuvilla, Our team cannot get any win
in every game that we played against
the "Group Team". One summer time,
a team from Iloilo City, "Columbian
Squires" came to Tigbauan to play
against our midget players. Tigba-
uan selection was conducted before
the game, luckily, my name was in-
cluded in that selection along with
the "Group" players. Pedro Titular
was named Coach for the midgets.
We played against the Iloilo Team
and we won. That was a very
memorable moment in my basketball
life.
TO BE CONTINUED
!! THE ERA OF 11
TAC BASKETBALL DOMINANCE
TAC BASKETBALL DOMINANCE
NEXT
LARRY TUERES & NELSON TALEON
LINCOLN COLLEGE VARSITY " DUO "
LINCOLN COLLEGE VARSITY " DUO "
VISITORS
