BASKETBALL-loving Mindanaoans mourned the untimely passing of former PBA player Adriano ‘Dong’ Polistico, who succumbed to cardiac arrest on Wednesday morning (Aug 10) at his hometown in Governor Generoso, Davao Oriental. He was 55.
“He just passed away this morning (Wednesday) due to a heart attack. He already stopped drinking hard for a while to follow his doctor’s advice as he already suffered from arthritis,” said his older sister, Laura.
At six-foot-seven, Polistico was one of the tallest centers in the Philippine Basketball Association in the late 1990s and was able to win championships with Alaska and San Miguel as fans would easily appreciate his bruising defense.
A former Letran player who was selected fourth overall by Alaska in the 1988 PBA Rookie Draft and played nine seasons in the league with the Milk Kings (now Aces) and Beermen, Polistico had once told this writer his toughness on the floor is one mark that the living legend Robert Jaworski from rival Ginebra team won't ever forget him.
“Mora’g ako ra nga player sa PBA ang naka-ako sa iya (Jawo),” then shared Polistico during a drinking binge with this writer.
Despite his being normally shy and reserved he even hated speaking before the public, Polistico once managed to win a public seat in the Sangguniang Bayan of Gov-Gen, Davao Oriental before losing in the last elections.
But his love for basketball was always there, he passionately shared it with his townmates.
Some weeks ago, Polistico even went to the extent of training, mentoring, and steering Barangay Tiblawan team to a third-place finish in the just-held Gov-Gen Inter-Barangay Summer League 2022.
“At his age, training and coaching basketball is already a tiring routine the late night games and gatherings may have taken its toll on him,” said his long-time friend Nick Jabagat, formerly from San Beda College, and now head of Oro Rescue Team.
“Kuya Dong was such a kind basketball fellow he saved us from getting hungry during our college varsity days in Manila when he's already thriving then in the big league,” remembered the now US-based Jamewill Abucejo from San Sebastian College/Liceo de Cagayan.
Polistico made a name for himself as an enforcer, the one tasked to defend against the other team’s best frontliners. He also donned the national colors in the 1994 Asian Games.
Among the PBA greats who either hail or have set foot in the City of Golden Friendship by chance or coincidence, the big smiling Polistico seemed to be the most endeared by the legions of basketball fans in Cagayan de Oro.
“Obviously quiet yet natural, he’s always welcome during his short stint in Cagayan de Oro. We will be missing him,” said Engr. Arnel Baba, former president of the Green CdeO Eagles Club.
“He considered Cagayan de Oro as his second home, Dong was clearly our favorite adopted son,” acknowledged Conrado Gomez, erstwhile governor of NMR-1 Eagles turned city councilor of Gingoog, Misamis Oriental.
“We’re deeply saddened by his sudden death,” added Gomez.
