Edgardo Ocampo

Edgardo Luciano Ocampo (October 5, 1938 – July 29, 1992) was a Filipino basketball player and coach.

Early life and education Ocampo was born in Pampanga, Philippines, on October 5 1938. He was one of four children of architects Fernando H. Ocampo and Lourdes Luciano. He received his education at the Ateneo de Manila (GS 1951, HS 1955, BSBA 1959).

Playing career

Football During his grade school years, Ocampo became interested in basketball and football. He tried joining the school basketball team but did not meet the requirements. Instead, he made it onto the football team. By the age of 17, Ocampo was acclaimed by sportswriters as "Mr. Football". He was a member of the Philippine football team that toured Korea and Spain in 1956.

Track and field

He was active in track and field during his school years in events like shot put (12lbs & 6kg) and long jump.

Basketball

In 1956, Ocampo broke his clavicle during a football game and was advised by doctors to cease sports for six months. While recuperating, Ocampo decided to join the school's basketball team. Ocampo officially joined the team during the second round of the 1957 NCAA basketball season. He led the team to back-to-back NCAA men's basketball championships in 1957 and 1958. Ocampo became the first team captain to be called King Eagle.

After graduation in 1959, he joined the YCO Painters in the Manila Industrial and Commercial Athletic Association. He was part of the YCO championship teams of the 1960s and remained with the franchise until 1973/1974.

Philippine men's basketball team

Ocampo was a regular member of the Philippines men's national basketball team from 1959 to 1972. He first joined the Philippine team that placed 8th at the 1959 FIBA World Championship held in Chile and was a member of three Philippine teams that won the Asian Basketball Confederation championships (1960, 1963, and 1967). He was also a three-time Olympian: 1960 (11th place), 1968 (13th place), and 1972 (13th place).

Ocampo was mentioned in Jose Ma. Bonifacio Escoda's book, Basketball History: Philippines, as "one of the finest guards the country has ever produced and a gentleman in and outside the hard court."

Coaching career

Ocampo began his coaching career with the YCO Painters in 1975, winning the MICAA championship that year against Manila Bank in July.

He became head coach of Royal Tru-Orange in the Philippine Basketball Association in 1978 and won his first PBA championship during the 1979 PBA Open conference. This was the first PBA championship won by the San Miguel Corporation franchise, which is now currently the franchise holding the most PBA championships (25).

In 1981, Ocampo became head coach of Toyota and won three more PBA championships. He later coached Manila Beer (1985), Shell (1986-1987), and Pepsi (1990).

Personal life

Ocampo was married to the former Maria Lourdes Trinidad.

Death Ocampo died on July 29, 1992 at the age of 53 in Manila, Philippines.

Honors Ateneo Sports Hall of Fame (1982) National Basketball Hall of Fame (1999) PBA Hall of Fame (2013)