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Superstars Working The Sidelines
By JP Abcede (December 13, 2008)

One was known for his hard-nosed defense inside the paint, while the other was a high flyer that also had an all-around game. In their heyday, Jerry Codiñera and Vergel Meneses were at the center of the court regaling the fans with their talent and skill.

As father time caught up with the two, they give back to the sport that they love, sharing their experiences to a new breed of cagers as assistant coaches for Burger King. Two different personalities, now doing a similar task for the Stunners.

The Defense Minister

For Jerry, this is something that is not new to him since he was once the head coach of the Teletech Titans.

"It was a good experience for me," he recalls. "I learned so much sa coaching, motivating, (and in the) composition of players." But now, serving behind head coach Allan Gregorio, he has embraced a different role.

"Mas lighter ang load namin being assistant coaches compared sa (head) coach," Codiñera ticks on one advantage being a bench deputy, getting to put side by side what his responsibilities were with the Titans and what he is tasked to do now with BK. According to Codiñera, basketball basically remained the same but some things still changed.

"Mas malalaki players ngayon compared sa panahon namin. Iyong games hindi nagbago," the 6'5" former Purefoods slotman shares. "We played zone, we played man-to-man defense."

Codiñera suited up for Magnolia and Lagerlite in the then-PABL from 1983-87. He won the MVP award, which he considers the most memorable moment of his playing career. He is also recognized as one of the league's 20 best players.

The Aerial Voyager

Meneses is now on his second season as assistant coach of the Stunners as he had his baptism of fire in the last Lipovitan Amino Sports Cup. Despite donning a new responsibility of being on the sidelines, he sees similarities in what he does now to what he did before when he was wearing a jersey.

"Sa gabi pa lang, iniisip ko kung ano i-prinaktis namin. Iyong mga little things," he said. "Noong naglalaro ako, same thing din. Maaga ako sa gametime para maka-prepare din ako."

The Jose Rizal alum played briefly for Magnolia before suiting up for Burger City and Swift Hotdogs from 1989-91. He then returned to the RFM franchise in the PBA in 1993 after stints with Presto and Sta. Lucia.

"Mga teams ngayon may balance unlike before isang player nagdodominate," he observes. "Equal ang talent ng players." Being one of the best 20 players of the PBL, he sometimes feels the itch of stepping onto the court and take over the game.

"Minsan dumadating iyong mga punto na iyon lalo na kapag crunchtime kasi doon mo makikita gaano kagaling ang isang player," he points out.

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