Juno Sauler

Sauler was born in Baguio on March 5, 1973. His father, Jun, had also played collegiate varsity basketball and is credited with teaching his son the game. Sauler studied in De La Salle Santiago Zobel School from the Preparatory level to High School. In his junior and senior years he played power forward / center in varsity basketball for the Golden Bengals (now known as the Junior Archers) from 1988 to 1990 in the UAAP. In his senior year, he was recruited by a rival UAAP university for its collegiate team but he chose to enroll and try out for De La Salle University instead.Henson, Joaquin M. [http://www.philstar.com/sports/2013/10/23/1248430/juno-recruited-ateneo "Juno recruited by Ateneo"],"The Philippine Star", Manila, October 23, 2013. Retrieved November 9, 2013.

Sauler attended De La Salle University, where he majored in economics. While in college, he played power forward for the De La Salle Green Archers from 1992 to 1994 and led as team captain from 1993 to 1994. On his last year as team captain, the Green Archers reached the finals but lost the championship to UST.Terrado, Reuben [http://www.spin.ph/sports/basketball/features/from-slow-non-athletic-member-of-la-salles-1994-losing-team-sauler-turns-into-archers-savior-v03 "From 'slow, non-athletic' Archer in nineties, Sauler turns into unlikely De La Salle savior"], Sports Interactive Network (Spin.ph), Manila, October 1, 2013. Retrieved October 4, 2013. Aside from Sauler's varsity presence, his academic performance was also recognized with his thesis paper vying for Best Thesis in Economics.Contributed by "Absolut Verde" [http://www.goarchers.com/8372/animus-part-1-five-searing-memories-in-la-salle-basketball "Animus Part 1: Five Searing Memories in La Salle Basketball"], "Go Archers", Manila, July 17, 2012. Retrieved October 4, 2013. He was conferred a Bachelor of Arts degree majoring in economics {{Cite web |last=Henson |first=Joaquin M. |date=June 12, 2013 |title=Eco grad now La Salle coach |url=https://www.philstar.com/sports/2013/06/12/952969/eco-grad-now-la-salle-coach |access-date=2024-09-02 |website=Philstar.com}} and was also granted a Loyalty award for being a La Salle student from Preparatory school to college, and a Gawad Magaaral award, specifically the Gawad Br. John Lynam FSC, for sportsmanship and leadership.De La Salle University : Office of the Dean for Student Affairs : Honors and Award [http://www.dlsu.edu.ph/offices/osa/awards/gawad_lasalyano], Dlsu.edu.ph. Retrieved October 4, 2013.

In 1997, Sauler played for Wilkins Distillery in the Philippine Basketball League through two conferences. In his second conference, he was simultaneously assistant coach of the team.

Sauler became assistant to Jong Uichico for the De La Salle Green Archers in May 1998 but 6 weeks before the start of the UAAP season, Franz Pumaren took over as head coach. Sauler was in Pumaren's coaching staff for a year.

In October 1998, he moved on to coach the De La Salle collegiate women's basketball team, the Lady Archers. He directed them to win three straight UAAP championships (1999–2001) and four straight NCRAA titles.{{cite web |last=Lance |first=Brian |url=http://thelasallian.com/2012/10/01/lady-archers-four-peat-a-silent-success-story/ |title=Lady Archers' four-peat – A silent success story |publisher=The LaSallian |date=October 1, 2012 |accessdate=October 4, 2013}} Concurrently, Sauler was head coach of the De La Salle – Zobel Junior Archers which would finish in the top 3 for those seasons.

From 2001 to 2002 he was a volunteer coach for the Philippine National Men's Basketball Team in the Asian games under Uichico.

In 2002, he moved on to the professional league where he was hired as assistant to Allan Caidic of the Barangay Ginebra Kings.{{Cite web |date=2013-07-10 |title=Juno Sauler: An underdog’s journey |url=https://thelasallian.com/2013/07/10/juno-sauler-an-underdogs-journey/ |access-date=2024-09-02 |website=The LaSallian |language=en-US}}

Sauler rejoined the De La Salle Green Archers as assistant to Gee Abanilla in October 2011.{{Cite web |last=Henson |first=Joaquin M. |date=October 28, 2011 |title=Greenbloods to revive 'animo' spirit |url=https://www.philstar.com/sports/2011/10/28/741726/greenbloods-revive-animo-spirit |access-date=2024-09-02 |website=Philstar.com}}

He took over as head coach on June 8, 2013, just three weeks before the start of the UAAP season 76. In his rookie season at the helm of the Green Archers, Sauler led the team to sweep the second round eliminations and make it to the finals.{{cite web|last=Villar |first=Joey |url=http://www.philstar.com/sports/2013/06/08/951648/la-salle-confirms-coaching-change-abanilla-out-sauler |title=La Salle confirms coaching change: Abanilla out, Sauler in | Sports, News, The Philippine Star |publisher=philstar.com |date=June 8, 2013 |accessdate=October 4, 2013}} He subsequently led the team to win the championship against the University of Santo Tomas Growling Tigers in a final deciding game in overtime.{{cite news|last=Leyba|first=Olmin|title=Archers outlast Tigers, snare UAAP crown|newspaper=The Philippine Star|date=August 13, 2013}}

After UAAP season 76, Sauler and deputy coaches Caidic and Jun Limpot observed the training camp of the San Antonio Spurs and practices of the University of Texas Longhorns.{{cite web|last=Payo|first=Jasmin|title=La Salle coaches off to San Antonio, begin team buildup|url=http://sports.inquirer.net/124585/la-salle-coaches-off-to-sa-begin-buildup|work=Inquirer.net|date=October 15, 2013 |publisher=Philippine Daily Inquirer|accessdate=December 18, 2013}} This was followed by a 5-day comprehensive development program in the New South Wales Institute of Sport in Australia.{{cite web|title=La Salle coaches to attend dev't program in Australia|url=http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/sports/11/03/13/la-salle-coaches-attend-devt-program-australia|work=ABS-CBNnews.com|publisher=ABS-CBN Interactive|accessdate=December 18, 2013}}

After the UAAP the Green Archers won the National Championship in Philippine Collegiate Basketball after defeating SWU in the finals of the 2013–2014 season of the Philippine Collegiate Champions League (PCCL).{{cite news|last=Villar|first=Joey|title=Archers annex PCCL Crown |url=http://digitaledition.philstar.com/newspaper/issue/2013/12/18 |newspaper=The Philippine Star |date=December 18, 2013 |page=A36 |accessdate=July 8, 2014}}

More recently, the Green Archers won the 2014 FilOil Flying V Hanes Premier Cup preseason tournament by defeating NCAA champions, the San Beda Red Lions.{{cite web|author1=Kevin Davis|title=DLSU wins battle of the champions against San Beda, takes FilOil crown|url=http://www.gmanetwork.com/news/story/364764/sports/campussports/dlsu-wins-battle-of-the-champions-against-san-beda-takes-filoil-crown|website=GMA News Online|publisher=GMA Network Inc.|accessdate=June 9, 2014}}

At various times since starting coaching, Sauler attended seminars and observerships under Mike D'Antoni (Phoenix Suns 2005), Mike Dunleavy, Sr. (Los Angeles Clippers 2005), Bill Guthridge (University of North Carolina 1999), Phil Jackson (Los Angeles Lakers 2005), Bob Knight (Indiana University 1999), Mike Krzyzewski (Duke University 1999), Lute Olson (University of Arizona 2005), Paul Westphal (Pepperdine University 2005), Ben Howland (UCLA 2005), Larry Brown (South Methodist University 2014), Johnny Dawkins (Stanford University 2014), and Steve Kerr (Golden State Warriors 2014).

On November 24, 2015, La Salle confirmed the resignation of Sauler as head coach of the Green Archers.{{cite web|url=http://www.rappler.com/sports/university/uaap/dlsu/113716-la-salle-coach-sauler-resigns|title=Sources: Juno Sauler resigns as DLSU Green Archers head coach|publisher=Rappler|date=November 23, 2015|accessdate=November 23, 2015}}{{cite web|url=http://www.spin.ph/basketball/news/la-salle-forms-search-committee-for-next-coach-after-announcing-sauler-resignation|publisher=Spin.ph|title=La Salle confirms Juno Sauler resignation, forms search committee to pick next coach|date=November 24, 2015|accessdate=November 24, 2015}}

Shortly after his resignation, Sauler was immediately hired by Coach Jason Webb to join the Purefoods franchise, which was carrying the name Star Hotshots at the time.{{Cite web |title=Juno Sauler reunites with former La Salle teammates as he joins Jason Webb staff at Star |url=https://www.spin.ph/basketball/pba/juno-sauler-asst-coach-star-hotshot |access-date=2025-02-26 |website=Spin.ph |language=en}} Webb, who was Sauler's former teammate at De La Salle Zobel and De La Salle University, brought him onto the coaching staff as an assistant. This move also marked the end of Sauler's 13-year tenure with Barangay Ginebra. During his time with the Hotshots, the team made multiple finals appearances and eventually won the 2018 PBA Governors' Cup championship with Romeo Travis as their import.{{Cite web |date=2018-12-19 |title=Hotshots claim Governors' Cup crown with Game 6 win |url=https://www.espn.ph/basketball/pba/story/_/id/25571568/magnolia-wins-governors-cup-title-game-6-rout-aces |access-date=2025-02-26 |website=ESPN.com |language=en}}

In 2024, Sauler was hired by the UST Growling Tigers as part of the coaching staff,{{Cite web |last= |first= |date=2024-01-11 |title=UAAP: Juno Sauler joins Pido Jarencio's coaching staff in UST |url=https://www.gmanetwork.com/news/sports/basketball/893835/uaap-juno-sauler-joins-pido-jarencio-s-coaching-staff-in-ust/story/ |access-date=2025-02-26 |website=GMA News Online |language=en}} the team he defeated in 2013 UAAP finals as the head coach of De La Salle.{{Cite web |last=Jacinto |first=Angelo |date=August 31, 2024 |title=New faces, new places as UAAP teams gear up for Season 87 |url=https://www.spin.ph/basketball/uaap-men/uaap-team-s-new-coaches-and-overseas-training-camps-for-uaap-87-a6870-20240831-lfrm |access-date=2024-09-02 |website=Spin.ph |language=en}} Despite his new role with UST, he continues to serve as an assistant coach for the Magnolia Chicken Timplados Hotshots, a team under the Purefoods franchise in the PBA.

In his first season, he led UST to a 3rd place finish after the team had finished last in the previous season. The UST Tigers returned to the Final Four but were eliminated by the UP Fighting Maroons in the semifinals.{{Cite web |last=III |first=Angel B. Dukha |date=2024-11-30 |title=UAAP: UP makes fourth straight finals, knocks off UST |url=https://sports.inquirer.net/596616/uaap-up-makes-fourth-straight-finals-knocks-off-ust#:~:text=MANILA,%20Philippines%E2%80%93University%20of%20the,Saturday%20at%20Smart%20Araneta%20Coliseum. |access-date=2025-02-25 |website=INQUIRER.net |language=en}}

After the UAAP and NCAA seasons, Sauler together with Coach Boyet Fernandez of the San Beda Red Lions, shared the Coach of the Year award of the 2013 Collegiate Basketball Awards hosted by the UAAP-NCAA Press Corps and SMART telecommunications.{{cite web|last=Payo|first=Jasmine|title=La Salle's Sauler, SBC's Fernandez bag awards|url=http://sports.inquirer.net/132793/la-salles-sauler-sbcs-fernandez-bag-awards|work=Inquirer.net|date=November 30, 2013 |publisher=Philippine Daily Inquirer|accessdate=December 18, 2013}}

Sauler also won the Best Coach award for PCCL 2013.{{cite news|last=Payo|first=Jasmine|title=Archers sweep Cobras for PCCL crown|url=http://sports.inquirer.net/135921/archers-sweep-cobras-for-pccl-crown|accessdate=January 13, 2014|newspaper=The Philippine Daily Inquirer|date=December 18, 2013}}

In 2023, Sauler was inducted into the Sports Hall of Fame by the De La Salle Alumni Association, recognizing his contributions to La Salle Basketball, particularly his role in leading the Green Archers to the 2013 UAAP Championship and his earlier success with the Lady Archers from 1999-2001.{{Cite web |title=DLSAA Sports Hall of Fame Awardees {{!}} De La Salle Alumni Association |url=https://www.dlsaa.com/honors-and-awards/awardees/shofa?field_awd_fc_cat_tid=96&field_awd_fc_yr_value%5Bvalue%5D%5Byear%5D=&title=Sauler&items_per_page=All |access-date=2025-02-25 |website=www.dlsaa.com}}{{Cite web |date=2023-04-19 |title=Sauler, Marco Januz “Juno” R. {{!}} De La Salle Alumni Association |url=https://dlsaa.com/honors-and-awards/awardees/sauler-marco-januz-%E2%80%9Cjuno%E2%80%9D-r |access-date=2025-02-25 |website=dlsaa.com |language=en}}{{Cite web |last=ByDLSZ |title=Coach Juno Sauler (DLSZ 1990) inducted at the 8th One La Salle Night of Excellence – De La Salle Santiago Zobel |url=https://www.dlszobel.edu.ph/index.php/2023/06/19/coach-juno-sauler-dlsz-1990-inducted-at-the-8th-one-la-salle-night-of-excellence/ |access-date=2025-02-25 |language=en-US}}

In early 2023, Sauler began conducting research on the Philippines' FIBA ranking compared to other countries. His findings revealed that many top-ranked basketball nations prohibit zone defense at the youth level, allowing young players to develop stronger individual defensive skills, decision making and overall basketball IQ.

As a result, Sauler has actively campaigned against the use of zone defense in youth basketball across the Philippines. He has been traveling across the country, conducting basketball clinics and engaging with youth leagues and training camps, advocating for a ban on zone defense for players aged 15 and below.

His advocacy has influenced several club organizers and leagues to adopt this rule. Prominent youth basketball leagues such as Batang PBA,{{Cite web |title=Teams barred from playing zone in Batang PBA |url=https://www.pba.ph/news/teams-barred-from-playing-zone-in-batang-pba |access-date=2025-02-26 |website=www.pba.ph |language=en}} Batang Pilipino Basketball League, NBL-Pilipinas, MILCU and others have implemented restrictions on zone defense, impacting over 1,000 youth teams and 15,000 young players nationwide.{{Cite web |title=UAAP champion coach explains why youth basketball needs to ban zone defense |url=https://www.onesports.ph/more-sports/article/9598/uaap-champion-coach-explains-why-youth-basketball-needs-to-ban-zone-defense?fbclid=IwAR371yCbC0UxVI-xSFnZzw7_3mRSbNBSNL16by7UnpofgBJpltFcmnFmIJg |access-date=2025-02-25 |website=onesports.ph |language=en}}{{Cite web |title=Lessons from Europe: UAAP champion coach wants to ban known defensive tactics in youth games |url=https://www.onesports.ph/more-sports/article/9527/uaap-champion-coach-shows-difference-between-youth-basketball-in-europe-and-philippines?fbclid=IwAR17WWjfDF74XC7WIPAS_Nrf6CFA0Pd2eLZsFVfZ2QJXoMZ7mcmHEDeXI0o&mibextid=Zxz2cZ |access-date=2025-02-25 |website=onesports.ph |language=en}}{{Cite web |last=Henson |first=Joaquin M. |title=Sauler’s ‘no-zone’ advocacy |url=https://www.philstar.com/sports/2023/02/12/2244379/saulers-no-zone-advocacy |access-date=2025-02-25 |website=Philstar.com}}

Sauler met his wife, Agnes Apostol, while they were classmates in De La Salle Zobel. They have two children, Lauren Marie and Santiago Mari.{{cite web|url=http://www.spin.ph/sports/basketball/special-reports/sorry-end-to-ginebra-season-tempers-joy-for-finals-bound-dlsu-coach-sauler-v02 |title=Sorry end to Ginebra season tempers joy for Finals-bound DLSU coach Sauler | PBA |publisher=Spin.Ph |date=September 28, 2013 |accessdate=October 4, 2013}} His wife Agnes, was formerly an assistant lecturer at the DLSU School of Economics{{cite web|url=http://osd.mydiscussion.net/lists/getProfessors/703 |title=Office of Sports and Development |publisher=Osd.mydiscussion.net |accessdate=October 4, 2013}} but is currently working as a VP of HSBC.{{cite web|last=Bautista|first=Jude|title=Juno Sauler's Winning Coaching Style|url=http://judebgallery.wordpress.com/2013/10/14/juno-saulers-winning-coaching-style/|work=Jude Bautista Gallery|accessdate=January 13, 2014|date=October 2013|quote=Agnes is herself a VP for HSBC, Hong Kong Shanghai Banking Corporation.}} His daughter Lauren is with the De La Salle Zobel Softball team, and his son Santi plays basketball in the De La Salle Zobel Grade School division.{{cite web|last=Guerrero |first=Bob |url=http://ph.sports.yahoo.com/blogs/experts-blog/q-dlsu-hoops-coach-juno-sauler-081517516.html |title=Q&A with DLSU Hoops coach Juno Sauler | College Hoops Experts Blog - Yahoo Sports Philippines |publisher=Ph.sports.yahoo.com |date=June 22, 2013 |accessdate=October 4, 2013}} Sauler is second of four children. His sister Rhia is a doctor at the De La Salle University Medical Center. His sister Rica is a professor with the School of Economics of De La Salle University. His brother Nino also played power forward for De La Salle – Zobel.{{cite web |url=http://www.goarchers.com/10347/the-green-mind-a-chat-with-coach-juno-sauler-and-more |title=The Green Mind: A Chat With Coach Juno Sauler And More! |publisher=Goarchers.com |date=June 16, 2013 |accessdate=October 4, 2013}} Sauler's sister-in-law, Aissa, is a teacher in De La Salle Zobel and her husband Adonis Santa Maria is a former professional basketball player who also suited up for the DLSU Green Archers.

{{Reflist}}

• [http://ph.sports.yahoo.com/blogs/experts-blog/q-dlsu-hoops-coach-juno-sauler-081517516.html Yahoo Sports Philippines College Hoops Experts' Blog]

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{{Magnolia Chicken Timplados Hotshots current roster}}

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{{Barangay Ginebra Kings 2004 PBA Fiesta Conference Champions}}

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{{De La Salle Green Archers 2013-2014 UAAP Men's Senior Basketball Champions}}

{{Magnolia Hotshots 2018 PBA Governors' Cup Champions}}

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Category:1973 births

Category:Living people

Category:Filipino men's basketball players

Category:Filipino men's basketball coaches

Category:De La Salle Green Archers basketball players

Category:Sportspeople from Baguio

Category:Basketball players from Benguet

Category:Barangay Ginebra San Miguel coaches

Category:Magnolia Hotshots coaches

Category:De La Salle Green Archers basketball coaches

Category:20th-century Filipino sportsmen