Bonnie Tan Explained

Birth Date:[1]
High School:Grace Christian High School
College:University of Santo Tomas
Cteam1:Lyceum of the Philippines University
Cyears1:2003–2014
Cteam2:GlobalPort Batang Pier (assistant)
Cyears2:2013–2014
Cteam3:Colegio de San Juan de Letran
Cyears3:2019–2022
Cteam4:NorthPort Batang Pier (interim)
Cyears4:2021, 2023
Cteam5:NorthPort Batang Pier
Cyears5:2023–present
Coach Start:2003
Nationality:Filipino
Team:NorthPort Batang Pier
League:Philippine Basketball Association
Position:Head coach
Bonnie Tan
Highlights:As head coach:

Bonnie Tan (born September 9, 1972) is a Filipino basketball coach. He is the head coach for the NorthPort Batang Pier of the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA). He is also a Freemason of the Grand Lodge of the Philippines. He last coached Colegio de San Juan de Letran's men's basketball team of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (Philippines) (NCAA)

Career

Playing career

In 1988, Tan played under Alfrancis Chua's Grace Christian High School (now Grace Christian College).[2] Tan then played for the UST Growling Tigers under Aric del Rosario from 1991 to 1992.[3]

Coaching career

Beginnings

In 1991, Tan served as Goldwin Monteverde's assistant in Saint Stephen's High School's developmental team, while studying in UST. After two years, Tan left Saint Stephen's to return to his alma mater Grace Christian High School to serve as its elementary school coach.[4]

Lyceum Pirates

He then served as Lyceum Pirates' head coach for more than a decade.[5] Tan coached Lyceum to two unbeaten seasons in the Inter-Scholastic Athletic Association, and qualified to four straight Philippine Collegiate Champions League tournaments. Tan guided the Pirates in the transition from when they became a guest team in the NCAA in 2011. The Pirates, with the exception of 2012 when they finished last, were a mid-table team during Tan's tenure.[6] He resigned in 2014 after the Pirates finished NCAA Season 90 just outside playoff contention.[7]

He was reportedly considered to be the head coach of the UST Growling Tigers midway the 2017 season, but declined out of respect to then current coaching staff; Tan himself denied being approached by UST.[8]

Letran Knights

Tan was then appointed head coach of the Letran Knights in 2019.[9] In his first game, Tan coached Letran to a loss against his former team Lyceum.[10] Tan ultimately led the Knights to its first title in four seasons by winning the NCAA Season 95 championship.[11]

At the height of COVID-19 pandemic, Alfrancis Chua, Letran's special assistant to the rector for sports development, denied Tan will be replaced by just resigned UST Growling Tigers coach Aldin Ayo. Ayo previously led Letran to a title in 2015, and just led the Tigers to a runner-up finish in the previous UAAP season.[12] Days later, Tan announced the transfer of three UST players to Letran.[13]

In the 2021 PBA All-Filipino Cup, Tan coached the NorthPort Batang Pier of the Philippine Basketball Association for three games when its entire coaching staff were not cleared from health and safety protocols due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Tan coached the team to three victories before being replaced by head coach Pido Jarencio.[14]

With the 2020 NCAA season canceled, and the 2021 season delayed to early 2022, Tan coached Letran to a second consecutive title.[15] The Knights had a perfect season, winning all nine elimination round games, and all three playoff games.[16] Rhenz Abando, one of the transferees from UST, was named the NCAA's Rookie of the Year and Most Valuable Player.[17] In the 2022 season done just months later, Letran successfully defended the title, winning its third consecutive title.

Weeks after winning his third NCAA title, Tan was named interim head coach of NorthPort Batang Pier, replacing Jarencio, who then replaced Tan as NorthPort's team manager.[18]

NorthPort Batang Pier

On April 23, 2023, Tan was officially promoted as the full-time head coach of the NorthPort Batang Pier.[19]

Managerial career

Tan is the team manager of NorthPort Batang Pier in the PBA. In 2022, during the contract renewal talks concerning Robert Bolick, he convinced Bolick to stay with NorthPort despite offers from teams from other countries.[20] Meanwhile, for Greg Slaughter's contract, Slaughter denied Tan's claims that he is demanding a contract that's more than the league maximum.[21]

Tan is also the tournament director of the Metro Basketball Tournament since 2017,[22] which has since been remained as the "M-League," supported by the PBA and the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority.[23]

Coaching record

College

SeasonTeamFinishGPWLPCTGPPWPLPCTResults
Lyceum Pirates
Lyceum 6th 187 11 .389 Eliminated
Lyceum 10th183 15 .167 Eliminated
Lyceum 7th 188 10 .444 Eliminated
Lyceum 7th 187 11 .389 Eliminated
Letran Knights
3rd 1812 6 .667 5 4 1 .500 Champions
2020LetranCanceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic
1st99 0 1.000 3 3 0 1.000 Champions
2nd 1813 5 .722 4 3 1 .750 Champions
Totals 11759 58 .504 12 10 2 .833 3 championships

PBA

TeamSeasonConferenceFinishGPWLPCTGPPWPLPCTResults
NorthPort2021Philippine Cup3301.000interim
NorthPort2022–23Governors' Cup9th/121138.273Eliminated
Career Total1468.429000.0000 championships

Notes and References

  1. Web site: NCAA: Lyceum tops EAC, Arellano turns back JRU NCAA Philippines . May 28, 2022 . www.gmanetwork.com . en.
  2. Web site: Li . Matthew . December 26, 2019 . Alfrancis Chua can now call Bonnie Tan 'coach' . May 28, 2022 . Tiebreaker Times . en-US.
  3. Web site: March 27, 2020 . Notable basketball figures give tribute to Coach Aric Del Rosario FASTBREAK.com.ph . June 28, 2022 . en-US.
  4. Web site: How champion coaches Monteverde, Tan nurtured their careers together in 1991 . May 28, 2022 . Spin.ph . en.
  5. Web site: Letran announces Bonnie Tan as new Knights head coach . May 11, 2022 . www.letran.edu.ph.
  6. Web site: Giongco . Mark . October 20, 2014 . Bonnie Tan resigns as Lyceum head coach . June 28, 2022 . INQUIRER.net . en.
  7. Web site: Bonnie Tan steps down as Lyceum coach after more than a decade in charge of the Pirates . May 28, 2022 . Spin.ph . en.
  8. Web site: UST yet to approach him but Globalport manager Bonnie Tan says he will consider taking Tigers coaching job . May 28, 2022 . Spin.ph . en.
  9. Web site: Li . Matthew . January 22, 2019 . Bonnie Tan set to be named as Letran head coach . May 28, 2022 . Tiebreaker Times . en-US.
  10. Web site: Weird feeling as Bonnie Tan makes Letran debut vs former team Lyceum . June 28, 2022 . Spin.ph . en.
  11. News: Naredo . Camille . November 20, 2019 . NCAA 95: Letran coach Bonnie Tan credits 'legends' for help in title run . .
  12. Web site: Lozada . Bong . September 5, 2020 . Bonnie Tan remains Letran coach as Alfrancis Chua denies Ayo return . June 28, 2022 . INQUIRER.net . en.
  13. Web site: September 8, 2020 . NCAA: Knights welcome 3 ex-Tigers . June 28, 2022 . Manila Bulletin . en-US.
  14. Web site: September 13, 2021 . Steady communication doing wonders for Northport Batang Pier . May 19, 2022 . BusinessWorld Online . en-US.
  15. Web site: Winning during pandemic makes NCAA championship extra sweet for Letran, says coach Bonnie Tan NCAA Philippines . May 28, 2022 . www.gmanetwork.com . en.
  16. Web site: Back-to-back champs Letran more used to being underdogs than title favorites, admits coach Bonnie Tan NCAA Philippines . June 28, 2022 . www.gmanetwork.com . en.
  17. Web site: May 24, 2022 . Back-to-back NCAA crowns for Letran, Tan – Journal News . June 28, 2022 . en-US.
  18. Web site: Terrado . Jonas . January 13, 2023 . PBA: Bonnie Tan named NorthPort coach, replacing Pido Jarencio . January 17, 2023 . INQUIRER.net . en.
  19. Web site: NorthPort drops interim tag, names Bonnie Tan full-time coach . April 23, 2023. April 23, 2023 . Spin.ph . en.
  20. Web site: February 12, 2022 . Robert Bolick stays with NorthPort . June 28, 2022 . Manila Bulletin . en-US.
  21. Web site: Slaughter belies Tan claim, cites 'strange things' happening at NorthPort . June 28, 2022 . Spin.ph . en.
  22. Web site: Villanueva . Kristina . Metro Basketball Tournament opens door to youth ballers . June 28, 2022 . Philstar.com.
  23. Web site: September 29, 2018 . New league from MMDA, PBA opens Sunday . June 28, 2022 . ESPN.com . en.