With the recent jersey retirement of Manilla Santos, there have been plenty of discussions going on with regards to other athletes who deserve such an honor as well. While there were plenty of outstanding players who donned the green and white uniform through the years, it just does not make sense to retire everyone who played superbly during their 4 to 5 years of eligibility. For something as monumental as a retirement ceremony, there is a need to select the best among the best.
For a player to be at least considered for retirement, he or she should have made a significant impact not only to their team’s success but also in the league.
One such player who we feel truly deserves to have his number raised to the gym rafters is none other than Zandro “Jun” Limpot. He played for the Archers from 1988 to 1992 and led the team to 2 (should be 3) titles while reaping numerous individual honors along the way.
Limpot was used sparingly during his rookie year back in 1988. The skinny kid from Surigao often rode the bench, as he had to be contented playing backup to the more senior slotmen in the team. He was hardly a factor in the De La Salle – Ateneo championship series in which the Blue Eagles prevailed over the Dindo Pumaren-led Green Archers for back-to-back championships.
Despite being a non-factor in the series, Limpot was definitely given a baptism of fire for he became the player nobody thought he would be the following season.
Limpot truly blossomed into a fine center after moving to the starting position in his sophomore year. Such turned out to be a brilliant plan in coach Derrick Pumaren’s part as the vastly-improved Limpot almost single-handedly brought the Green Archers to the finals and eventually to their first-ever UAAP senior’s basketball title. He atoned for his failure to win Rookie of the year by plucking the Most Valuable Player citation.
He racked up his second MVP the following year and gave De La Salle another championship, as the Green Archers defeated the University of the East Red Warriors in the finals.
Limpot once again carried the Green Archers on his shoulders in 1991 and back to the championship series for the fourth consecutive year. La Salle should have won the three-peat crown if not for a wanton protest by Far Eastern University on Tony Boy Espinosa’s entry in the dying seconds of the game despite having fouled out. Still, Limpot placed second in the MVP race behind Johnny Abbarientos, the only guard to have plucked the award in the 90s.
La Salle was left out of the championship picture in 1992, settling for third place as Limpot and the Green Archers watched FEU pommel Adamson University for the Tamaraws’ lame version of a back-to-back.
Nevertheless, Limpot managed to capture his third MVP award in his final year, a footnote to an illustrious collegiate career.
So why not retire Jersey Number 9 as well? What do you think?
With excerpts from greenarcher.net article on Jun Limpot – July 1, 2000
