Leo Austria

Last updated
Leo Austria
San Miguel Beermen huddle - 2015-1209 (23561025401).jpg
Leo Austria (center) in 2015
San Miguel Beermen
PositionTeam consultant
League PBA
Personal information
Born (1958-03-14) March 14, 1958 (age 66)
Sariaya, Quezon, Philippines
NationalityFilipino
Listed height5 ft 10 in (1.78 m)
Career information
College Lyceum
PBA draft 1985: 4th round
Selected by the Shell Azodrin Bugbusters
Playing career1985–1993
Career history
As player:
1985–1991 Formula Shell
1992–1993 Pepsi
1999Chowking Fastfood Kings
As coach:
1998–2002Chowking Fastfood Kings/Shark Energy Drink Power Boosters
2002–2004 Welcoat Paintmasters
2004–2005 Shell Turbo Chargers
2005 Adamson
2006 Welcoat Paintmasters
2006–2008Welcoat Dragons
2008–2013 Adamson
2012–2013 San Miguel Beermen (ABL)
2014–2022 San Miguel Beermen
Career highlights and awards
As coach

As consultant

As player

Leovino "Leo" R. Austria (born March 14, 1958) is a Filipino professional basketball coach and former player. He last served as the head coach of the San Miguel Beermen of the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA).

Contents

Playing career

Austria played his college basketball for the Lyceum of the Philippines University while also suiting up in the commercial Philippine Amateur Basketball League via Masagana 99. [1] In 1984, he was named the Most Valuable Player of the Ambassador's Cup before joining the PBA.

In 1985, a new team Formula Shell drafted him, aside from nabbing fellow PABL standout Sonny Cabatu in the said draft. He made a quick impact for the new but veteran laden Shell squad and won the Rookie of the Year honors at season's end. His average of 3.9 points per game for that season marked the lowest average for a Rookie of the Year awardee up to that time. [2] During his stint at Shell, he played backup point guard for Bernie Fabiosa, Al Solis, then Ronnie Magsanoc. [2] He later played for Pepsi and was out of the league after the 1993 season. In 394 games played, he averaged 4.5 points a ballgame. He was known for his three-point shooting. [2]

In 1988, he was awarded the Quezon Medalya ng Karangalan Award for Sports. [3] The QMK Award is given to outstanding Quezonians who excelled in their chosen fields. In 1999, he suited up for a few games as a playing coach for his team Chowking due to injuries of his point guards.

Coaching career

Philippine Basketball League

Austria's first coaching stint was for Chowking during the late 90s. During those days, he steered Chowking to numerous semifinal appearances but were unable to clinch a finals appearance against powerhouse and PBA-bound team Tanduay, Red Bull, and Welcoat.

After Chowking was renamed as Shark Energy Drink in 2000, he led the team to two titles in four finals matches against Welcoat from 2000 to 2002. He coached a team led by Chester Tolomia, Roger Yap, Ervin Sotto, and Gilbert Malabanan.

In late 2002, he moved to former rival Welcoat Paints as its new head coach after returning from a one conference absence. With a star-studded lineup of Rommel Adducul, Paul Artadi, Eddie Laure, Ronald Tubid, and Marc Pingris, he led the Paintmasters to the 2002 PBL Challenge Cup championship over Dazz in a three-game sweep.

He later led Welcoat to a runner-up finish in 2003 with James Yap as one of its star players.

Shell Turbo Chargers

In 2004, Shell dismissed American head coach John Moran and named Austria as its new head coach, 19 years after starting his PBA career with the said team. During his only season with the Turbo Chargers, he coached a young but talented team of Tony dela Cruz, Ronald Tubid, Rookie of the Year Rich Alvarez, Billy Mamaril, and Roger Yap to two semifinal appearances and a third-place finish in the 2005 PBA Fiesta Conference. However, Shell disbanded after the 2004–2005 season. He then returned to the amateur ranks.

Adamson Falcons

In 2006, Austria was named head coach of the Adamson Falcons in the UAAP replacing Mel Alas after a disappointing 3-11 stint. With him at the helm, the Falcons made their first-ever Final Four appearance since the format was introduced. However, they were eliminated by the Ateneo Blue Eagles in a closely fought semifinals. He coached the team until in 2013, following a dismal UAAP Season 76 campaign, he resigned. In seven seasons serving as Adamson's tactician, he piled up an overall win–loss record of 40–56, including three trips to the Final Four in Seasons 69, 73 and 74. [4]

Rain or Shine Elasto Painters/Welcoat Dragons

In 2006, Welcoat bought the Shell franchise to join the PBA as its 10th member. With this development, Austria was renamed head coach of the Welbest franchise, this time carrying the banner of Rain or Shine Elasto Painters in preparation for their PBA debut. The Painters placed third in the 2006 PBL Unity Cup in the team's final conference.

He was formally named as the head coach of the Welcoat Dragons in the PBA. But after two seasons with the team, in 2008, he resigned as head coach citing that the management wanted a new direction. His former assistant Caloy Garcia took over his spot.

San Miguel Beermen (ABL)

Austria coached the San Miguel Beermen in the ABL where he was awarded as the Coach of the Year in 2013 and helped the team win the championship that same year. [5]

San Miguel Beermen in the PBA

In 2014, Austria renewed his ties with the San Miguel franchise by signing a one-year deal to be the head coach of the Beermen. [6] He won his first championship with SMB as a PBA head coach after defeating the Alaska Aces in seven games of the 2014–15 PBA Philippine Cup Finals. But in the Commissioner's Cup the Beermen failed to qualify in the playoffs. However, in the season ending tournament of the Governor's Cup he was able to steer the Beermen to another championship once again against the Aces this time in a sweep.

Austria later coached the team to seven more championships out of the next eight Finals appearances, which started with the 2015–16 PBA Philippine Cup Finals, in which they came back from an 0–3 deficit. When the Beermen lost to the Barangay Ginebra San Miguel in the 2018 PBA Commissioner's Cup Finals, it was the team's first Finals loss under Austria.

Personal life

Austria is married to his wife Nanette. Nanette had a kidney transplant on the afternoon Austria won the 2018 PBA Philippine Cup. [7] They have three kids, [8] including Bacon, a basketball player himself. Bacon won the 2013 PBA D-League Foundation Cup with Blackwater Sports a day after his father won the 2013 ABL finals with the San Miguel Beermen. Father and son have previously been on opposing teams in the UAAP, with Leo coaching Adamson, and Bacon playing for Ateneo. [9]

Coaching record

Professional record

SeasonTeamConferenceElims./Clas. roundPlayoffs
PGWLPCTFinishPGWLPCTResults
2004–05 Shell Philippine Cup 18126.6673rd404.000Lost in third-place playoff
Fiesta 18711.3899th853.625Won in third-place playoff
2006–07 Welcoat Philippine Cup 18315.16710th0Did not qualify
Fiesta 18414.22210th0Did not qualify
2007–08 Welcoat Philippine Cup 18414.22210th0Did not qualify
2013 SMB ABL 22193.8631st761.857Won the finals
2014–15 San Miguel Philippine Cup 1192.8181st1183.727Won the finals
Commissioner's Cup 1147.3649th0Did not qualify
Governors' Cup 1183.7271st1082.800Won the finals
2015–16 San Miguel Philippine Cup 1192.8182nd1385.615Won the finals
Commissioner's Cup 1183.7271st624.333Lost in the semifinals
Governors' Cup 1183.7272nd633.500Lost in the semifinals
2016–17 San Miguel Philippine Cup 11101.9091st1394.694Won the finals
Commissioner's Cup 1192.8182nd1183.727Won the finals
Governors' Cup 1174.6366th101.000Lost the quarterfinals
2017–18 San Miguel Philippine Cup 1183.7271st1192.818Won the finals
Commissioner's Cup 1165.5456th1275.583Lost the finals
Governors' Cup 1165.5456th101.000Lost the quarterfinals
2019 San Miguel Philippine Cup 1174.6365th16115.688Won the finals
Commissioner's Cup 1156.4557th1293.750Won the finals
Governors' Cup 1165.5456th101.000Lost the quarterfinals
Totals277159118.5741439350.6509 championships

Collegiate record

SeasonTeamEliminationsPlayoffs
WLPCTFinishPGWLPCTResults
Adamson Soaring Falcons (UAAP)
2006 Adamson66.5004th202.000Final Four
2008 Adamson311.2147thDid not qualify
2009 Adamson59.3585th————Eliminated
2010 Adamson95.6433rd101.000Final Four
2011 Adamson104.7142nd202.000Final Four
2012 Adamson311.2146th————Eliminated
2013 Adamson410.2867th————Eliminated
Totals4056.417505.0000 championship

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References

  1. ↑ "1983 PABL Founder's Cup". 22 October 2013.
  2. 1 2 3 Santos, Rickie (1990), 1989-1990 PBA Annual, Pasig, Philippines: Philippine Basketball Association, p. 90
  3. ↑ "Quezon Province".
  4. ↑ "Austria to take a break, says Adamson got left behind in recruiting".
  5. ↑ "San Miguel Beermen's Leo Austria Wins the 2013 Coach of the Year Award | ASEAN Basketball League". Archived from the original on 2013-07-16. Retrieved 2014-09-18.
  6. ↑ "Leo Austria signs one-year deal to become new San Miguel Beer head coach".
  7. ↑ INQUIRER.net (2018-03-06). "Austria turns emotional after SMB win as wife undergoes kidney transplant". INQUIRER.net. Retrieved 2022-10-18.
  8. ↑ Lozada, Bong (2020-06-28). "Austria turns from coaching SMB to being a dad instructor to kids". INQUIRER.net. Retrieved 2022-10-18.
  9. ↑ "All in the family as Leo and Bacon Austria win championships one after the other". Spin.ph. Retrieved 2022-10-18.
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