Matthew "Fritz" Gaston is a Filipino former basketball player and coach.

Career

Playing career

College

The basketball team of the Ateneo de Manila University had Gaston as a player. He was part of the Ateneo squad which won two consecutive titles in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) in 1975 and 1976.[1] He was part of the last NCAA Ateneo squad before the university left the collegiate league in 1978 to transfer to the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP).[2]

Club

Gaston also played in the Philippine Basketball Association from 1979 to 1986.[2] He played for multiple teams namely as the U/Tex Wranglers (1980), San Miguel Beermen (1983), Crispa Redmanizers (1984), Manila Beer Brewmasters (1985) and the Great Taste Coffee Makers (1986). With U/Tex he clinched the 1980 PBA All-Filipino Conference title.[1]

National team

He was also a player for the Philippine youth national team in 1977.[1]

Coaching career

Gaston became coach of his alma mater's basketball team. He led the Ateneo Blue Eagles to a UAAP title in Season 51 (1988).[3]

He served as an assistant coach under Norman Black for the Mobiline Cellulars for the 1997 PBA All-Filipino Cup and Commissioner's Cup.[4]

In 2003, Gaston became the head coach of the Philippines women's national basketball team.[5] He guided the team to a bronze medal finish at the 2007 Southeast Asian Games in Thailand and a silver medal finish at the 2007 SEABA Championship for Women.[6]

Sports administration

Gaston was commissioner for the Games and Amusement Board, a government body which deals with professional sports in the Philippines, from 2011 to 2017.[5] He would be later appointed as a commissioner for the Philippine Sports Commission (that administers grassroots and amateur sports) on March 24, 2023 by President Bongbong Marcos.[7]

Personal life

Gaston has Silay, Negros Occidental as his hometown.[5][8] Gaston is married to Aurora Mandanas Gaston, a former beauty pageant contestant who won the 1984 Miss Asia Pacific.[9]

His daughter, Pauline is a professional volleyball player who has played in the Filipino Premier Volleyball League.[10][11] Therese, another daughter is a former collegiate volleyball player and a beauty pageant queen like her mother.[9][12]

References

  1. ^ a b c Pedralvez, Bong (March 30, 2023). "Gaston completes PSC 5-man board". Malaya Business Insight. Retrieved September 28, 2023.
  2. ^ a b Ballesteros, Jan (July 5, 2020). "Gaston on former teammate Watson, Ateneo's transfer to UAAP". ESPN.com. Retrieved September 28, 2023.
  3. ^ Malanum, Jean (March 31, 2023). "PSC chief welcomes appointment of Commissioner Gaston". Philippine News Agency.
  4. ^ "Gaston named PSC commissioner – Daily Tribune". March 30, 2023. Retrieved August 19, 2024.
  5. ^ a b c Ramos, Josef (March 30, 2023). "Former PBA player Fritz Gaston appointed PSC commissioner". BusinessMirror. Retrieved September 27, 2023.
  6. ^ Olivares, Rick (February 12, 2017). "SBP at 10". Bleacher's Brew. BusinessMirror. Retrieved February 12, 2017.
  7. ^ "Gaston embraces challenge as PSC commissioner". ABS-CBN News. April 1, 2023. Retrieved September 28, 2023.
  8. ^ "Bacolod eyes to host Batang Pinoy in 2024". SunStar. June 7, 2023. Retrieved September 27, 2023.
  9. ^ a b "Beauty and sports in her genes". Lifestyle.INQ. Philippine Daily Inquirer. December 13, 2014. Retrieved September 28, 2023.
  10. ^ "Pauline Gaston makes sure to pay tribute to dad Fritz". Premier Volleyball League. Retrieved September 28, 2023.
  11. ^ Ballesteros, Jan (July 6, 2023). "Stunner at the Palace! Pauline Gaston visits Malacañang for important appointment". One Sport. Retrieved September 28, 2023.
  12. ^ Villano, Alexa (June 20, 2018). "Former Ateneo Lady Eagle Therese Gaston joins Miss Manila 2018". Rappler. Retrieved September 28, 2023.
Allikas: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Matthew_Gaston
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