UAAP: Eric Altamirano named UP women’s basketball head coach

Champion tactician Eric Altamirano has been appointed as the new head coach of the University of the Philippines women’s basketball team.

The appointment was announced Wednesday, with Altamirano taking over from Paul Ramos, who steered the Fighting Maroons for seven years.

The hiring marks a homecoming for Altamirano, a member of UP’s 1986 championship squad who later served as head coach of the men’s basketball team in 1996.

“I've come full circle. This is my way of giving back sa school that gave me the opportunity to start my playing career and coaching career,” Altamirano said.

Aside from UP, Altamirano previously handled National University from 2011 to 2016, ending the Bulldogs’ title drought in 2014.

He will be joined on the coaching staff by Jeff Perlas, Paolo Layug, his son Anton, and Gilas Pilipinas women’s mainstay Mikka Cacho.

“Of course, our long-term plan is to bring UP to the mountaintop. Pero for now, we have to continue taking these many steps to get there. For now, what we want is sustainable competitiveness,” he added.

UP finished with a 3-11 record in last season’s women’s basketball tournament.

—JKC, GMA Integrated News