CONSUMATE leader, good big brother to younger teammates, fierce competitor.
Such praises and tributes poured in for former Barangay Ginebra and Purefoods gunner Emilio "Nonoy" Chuatico as the news of his passing in the US spread around Saturday.
A first-round draft selection by Ginebra in 1992, Chuatico passed away after a long bout with cancer. He was 55.
"A great teammate and a vocal leader who would always give words of encouragement. I will forever appreciate Noy and his guidance. Rest well, Manong," said former Ateneo teammate and now Ginebra assistant coach Olsen Racela.
Chuatico skippered the Ateneo Blue Eagles that won the school's first UAAP crown in 1987 before playing the same role in the Philippine team that won the Southeast Asian Games crown before the home crowd at the Smart Araneta Coliseum in 1991.
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In that Francis Rodriguez-mentored Phl squad, Chuatico provided leadership to young future PBA stars including Marlou Aquino, Jun Limpot, Vergel Meneses, Johnny Abarrientos and Bong Ravena.
The following year, he joined the PBA draft where he was made the first-round draft selection by Barangay Ginebra behind Presto Ice Cream's Meneses, Alaska Milk's Bong Solomon, Shell's Jolly Escobar, Purefoods' Kevin Ramas, San Miguel's Ravena, Swift's Eric Reyes and Alaska's Allen Sasan.
The six-foot guard averaged 5.0 points in four seasons before drifting to the MBA. (SB)
