Fans, colleagues salute late Philippine basketball great Danny Florencio

MANILA, Philippines – Less than a minute left, South Korea is one point behind in Seoul. Coach Caloy Loyzaga looks at his bench. Only two ex-UST cagers can come into the game after six Filipinos fouled out. But Renato Reyes was hobbled by a strained back muscle and by default, the most explosive shooter in Philippine basketball who was not fielded in the battle, came in.

Danny Florencio came in without warmup, and sank a twinner from the side as the Philippines led 81-78. With 48 seconds, Lee In-Pyo is fouled by Tembong Melencio and sinks two free throws, 81-80, Philippines. Florencio takes the ball and drives. Kim In-kun crosses his path, hoping for a charging foul against Florencio but referee Gordon Allan Rae and Mario Hopenhaym call a blocking foul. Florencio sinks the two charities and clinches an 83-80 triumph as the Philippines regains the Asian Basketball Confederation title in 1967.

Florencio, the hero of that game, died on Saturday, February 24, in Antioch, Northern California after a suffering a stroke, according to separate messages from former Olympian Jun Achacoso and Bobby Rius, son of Olympic basketball team mentor Arturo Rius.

Florencio was 70.

“We former basketball players were invited to his home for his 70th birthday last year. He was very happy,” said Rius in a Facebook message.

Florencio was 20 years old when he became the hero that night in October 2, 1967. He would go on to electrify crowds with his daring drives to the basket, fake his man and score on a reverse layup for Yco and Crispa in the MICAA and for Toyota, U-Tex, 7-Up and Galerie Dominique in the PBA.

Or, the most thrilling of all, Florencio would suspend in mid-air, twist off his guard and fake him as he uses the glass to score. His thickly muscled thighs kept him so long in the air while he moves his body to find that extra space to score.

“He had more moves than Pilita Corrales has on the stage,” said former national coach Nemie Villegas, referring to the Sixties Asia’s Queen of Songs, who would contort her body during concerts.

Rius recalled his father telling his mother to watch out for UE’s No. 7 (Robert Jaworski) and that UST player (Florencio). And Rius saw how Florencio outplayed their defense in Ateneo in a practice game. “He was something,” said Rius in a Facebook message.

Villegas, who sometimes took on the unpleasant task of guarding Florencio, said. “He is so unpredictable. He puts you on the wrong foot. You watch for the reverse layup after the fake but he will score in front of you,” he said. “And he has that deadly jump shot,”

These moves made basketball school officials sit up when Florencio scored 40 points in UST’s losing effort vs UE in the 1965 UAAP championship. And at 30 years old, Florencio shot 64 points in 7-Up’s loss to Toyota, 121-136.

The Florencio magic began when the Feati junior cager would come to the Tanduay Fire Station basketball court early in the morning to shoot or practice his layups. When free, Florencio would follow FEU games where he studied how Engracio Arazas cuts, drives to the basket and fake his opponent in a few seconds.

“Danny told me that he idolized my brother and studied him very well. He said my brother was his idol,” said veteran photojournalist Joe Arazas in a Facebook message.

Another player who was like Florencio but more retaliatory was Romy Diaz, Arazas’ FEU teammate. “Diaz was just as relentless as Danny in scoring and driving to the hoop. But Diaz played rough sometimes. Florencio is a clean player. He just picks himself up when he is hit. He doesn’t retaliate,” said Villegas.

In the brawl for the 1966 intercollegiate final between UE and UST, it was Florencio who was decked and some UST teammates retaliated sparking a melee. Jaworski was initially suspended for life by the Philippine Amateur Athletic Federation but this was recalled later.

His reputation was boosted when the Sunday Times Magazine showed photos of Florencio in midair trying to outfake taller cagers in the 1967 Universiade. People who have seen Florencio in action always select him over Samboy Lim, who was taller, more powerful leaper. Florencio was graceful while Lim epitomized strength. 

Thus in the 2014 Pagpupugay to honor sports stars, organizer Chino Trinidad introduced Florencio as :”The Original Skywalker and Hero of 1967″ before pairing him on stage with Samboy Lim as applause thundered at Resorts World.

As some of our national teams show an alarming tendency to miss free throws in important matches on TV, the radio coverage on that October evening in 1967 where the man who can shoot 40 points with ease scored four points in less than a minute. It was the leanest output of Danny Florencio but it was enough for the Philippines to regain, if only fleetingly, the Asian basketball crown. – Rappler.com