Leo Isaac
{{short description|Filipino basketball player and coach}}
{{for|the British weightlifter|Leo Isaac (weightlifter)}}
{{Use Philippine English|date=April 2023}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2023}}
{{Infobox basketball biography
| image =
| image_size =
| name = Leo Isaac
| alias =
| number =
| career_number = 9
| career_position = Shooting guard
| league =
| team =
| nationality = Filipino
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1961|2|2|mf=y}}
| birth_place =
| height_ft = 6
| height_in = 1
| weight_lbs = 172
| high_school =
| college = Mapúa
| draft_year_pba = 1986
| draft_round_pba =
| draft_pick_pba =
| draft_team_pba = Ginebra San Miguel
| career_start = 1986
| career_end = 1995
| years1 = 1986–1991
| team1 = Ginebra San Miguel / Añejo Rum 65
| years2 = 1992–93
| team2 = Shell Rimula X Oilers
| years3 = 1994–95
| team3 = Tondeña 65 Rhum Masters / Ginebra San Miguel
| cyears1 = 1997
| cteam1 = Mobiline Cellulars (assistant)
| cyears2 = 1998–1999
| cteam2 = Doctor J/Ana Water Dispenser
| cyears3 = 1999–2000
| cteam3 = Boom Laundry Masters
| cyears4 = 2000–2001
| cteam4 = Montaña Pawnshop Jewels
| cyears5 = 2002–2003
| cteam5 = Blu All Purpose Detergent Kings
| cyears6 = 2007–2008
| cteam6 = Mapúa
| cyears7 = 2007–2009
| cteam7 = Air21 Express (assistant)
| cyears8 = 2009–2010
| cteam8 = Barako Bull Energy Boosters
| cyears9 = 2010–2011
| cteam9 = Arellano
| cyears10 = 2011–2014
| cteam10 = Blackwater Sports
| cyears11 = 2014–2018
| cteam11 = Blackwater Elite
| cyears12 = 2018–2019
| cteam12 = Bacoor Strikers
| highlights =
}}
Leandro "Leo" Isaac (born February 2, 1961) is a Filipino former basketball player, commentator, and former head coach of the Blackwater Elite in the Philippine Basketball Association.
He is chief operating officer of the basketball league Sinag Liga Asya.{{cite news |url=https://www.philstar.com/sports/2023/10/25/2306416/sinag-liga-asya-underway/ |title=Sinag Liga Asya underway |date=25 October 2023 |website=The Philippine Star |access-date=12 May 2024}}
College career
He played for the Mapua Cardinals in the NCAA from 1978 to 1981 and was voted MVP for the 1981 NCAA Men's Basketball Championship. His notable teammates include Joel Banal, Junel Baculi, and Bong Ramos.
PBA career
He played for Ginebra San Miguel from 1986 to 1991 and 1994 to 1995. In his rookie season in 1986, he helped Ginebra win its first ever championship during the 1986 PBA Open Conference. He earned his spot in coach Robert Jaworski's rotation as a reliable backcourt defender and his valuable contributions on defense helped the Gin Kings win two more championships in 1988 and 1991.{{Cite web|url=http://ginebratambayan.hooxs.com/t1787-nang-maging-champion-ang-ginebra|title = Nang Maging Champion Ang GINEBRA!}}
Prior to the start of 1992 PBA season, he was traded to Pepsi for Tonichi Yturri, and then to Shell Rimula-X in exchange for Gido Babilonia and Leo Austria.{{ cite news |last1=Nazareno |first1=Rocky |title=Cuenco, Isaac go to Shell Rimulas |issue=January 14, 1992 |publisher=Manila Standard |date=January 14, 1992 }} He helped the Oilers win the 1992 First Conference championship against the San Miguel Beermen. He stayed with the team until the 1993 season.
He retired from playing in the PBA after the 1995 season.
Coaching career
=Philippine Basketball League=
He once mentored teams such as Dr. J. Alcohol / Ana Water Dispenser, Boom Laundry Masters, Montaña Jewels, Blu All Purpose Detergent Kings, and Noosa Shoe Stars. In 1998, while coaching for Doctor J, he won his first ever championship as a coach at the expense of the heavily favored Tanduay team in the 1998–99 2nd PBL Centennial Cup.
=Mapua Cardinals=
Isaac took over as Mapua's head coach prior to the 2007 season.{{ cite web |title=Koy Banal Departure from San Beda |url=http://www.gameface.ph/showthread.php?26942-Koy-Banal-Departure-from-San-Beda&s=3331e0c254129d8f1a7cbfb89833db7d |work=GameFace.ph |accessdate=February 22, 2007 }} He led the Cardinals to back-to-back Final 4 slots wherein during both appearances they were at #4. His records with them were 6–6 and 9–5, respectively.
=Barako Bull Energy Boosters=
In 2009, Isaac was hired as head coach for the Barako Bull Energy Boosters in the PBA{{ cite news |title=Red Bull names ex-cage star Isaac new coach |url=http://www.gmanetwork.com/news/story/146538/sports/red-bull-names-ex-cage-star-isaac-new-coach |work=GMA News |date=January 29, 2009 |accessdate=July 16, 2015 }} after Yeng Guiao resigned and later moved to Burger King Whoppers. His chief lieutenants were Raymund Celis and Ariel Vanguardia. He was then succeeded by Junel Baculi after coaching just one season.
=Arellano University=
He led them to several titles including the NCRAA championship in 2007.{{ cite news |title=Arellano U claims 1st ever NCRAA title |url=http://inboundpass.wordpress.com/2007/03/02/arellano-u-claims-1st-ever-ncraa-title/ |work=InboundPass.WordPress.com |date=March 2, 2007 |accessdate=July 16, 2015 }} After a season coaching Red Bull, in 2010 he once again coached the Chiefs, this time, in the NCAA for two seasons.
=Blackwater Elite (PBA D-League)=
In 2011, Isaac was appointed head coach of the Blackwater Elite, one of the founding franchises in the newly formed PBA Developmental League.{{ cite news |title=D-League Watch: Black Water Elite |url=https://ph.news.yahoo.com/blogs/sportsaholic/d-league-watch-black-water-elite-20110318-024613-938.html |work=Yahoo! News Philippines |date=March 18, 2011 |accessdate=July 16, 2015 }} He helped the Elite win its first and only championship against the NLEX Road Warriors during the 2013 PBA D-League Foundation Cup and in the process, earned the distinction as the only team who beat the Road Warriors in the Finals.{{ cite news |title=Blackwater Defeated NLEX in PBA D-League Foundation Cup Finals |url=http://philnews.ph/2013/06/06/blackwater-defeated-nlex-pba-d-league-finals-1/ |work=Philippine News |date=June 6, 2013 |accessdate=July 16, 2015 }}
=Blackwater Elite (PBA)=
In 2014, Isaac was retained as the team's head coach after team owner Dioceldo Sy elevated his franchise as an expansion team in the PBA. He is expected to inject the "never-say-die" experience that he got from his playing years with Ginebra. However, his team was winless in the Philippine Cup, with 0–11 win–loss record.{{ cite web |last1=Ramos |first1=Gerry |title=Opening-day loss to KIA the beginning of the end for Blackwater, rues coach Leo Isaac |url=http://www.spin.ph/basketball/news/blackwaters-opening-day-loss-to-kia-caused-great-impact-on-teams-maiden-pba-campaign-says-leo-isaac |website=Spin.ph |publisher=Spin.ph |accessdate=December 10, 2014 }} In his first season with the Elite, he compiled a 6–27 win–loss record.
Coaching record
=Collegiate record=
| class=wikitable style="text-align:center" | ||||||||||
| rowspan=2|Season | rowspan=2|Team
! colspan="5" |Elimination round | colspan="5" | Playoffs | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GP
!W | L | PCT | Finish | GP | W | L | PCT | Results | ||
| 2007 | MIT
|12 | 6 | 6 | .500 | 4th | 1 | 0 | 1 | .500 | Semifinals |
| 2008 | MIT
|14 | 9 | 5 | .643 | 4th | 4 | 2 | 2 | .500 | Semifinals |
| 2010 | AU
|16 | 6 | 10 | .375 | 6th | – | – | – | – | Eliminated |
| 2011 | AU
|18 | 6 | 12 | .333 | 7th | – | – | – | – | Eliminated |
| colspan="2" | Totals
!60 | 27 | 33 | .450 | 5 | 2 | 3 | .400 | 0 championships |
=Professional record=
| class=wikitable style="text-align:center" | |||||||||||
| rowspan=2|Season | rowspan="2" |Team | rowspan="2" |Conference
! colspan="5" |Elimination/classification round | colspan="5" | Playoffs | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| G
!W | L | PCT | Finish | PG | W | L | PCT | Results | |||
| 2008–09 | Barako Bull | Fiesta
|12 | 2 | 10 | .143 | 10th | 1 | 0 | 1 | .000 | Wildcard phase |
| rowspan="3" |2014–15 | rowspan="3" | Blackwater | Philippine Cup
|11 | 0 | 11 | .000 | 12th | —
|— |— |— |Eliminated | ||||
| Commissioner's Cup
|11 | 3 | 8 | .273 | 12th | —
|— |— |— |Eliminated | ||||||
| Governors' Cup
|11 | 3 | 8 | .273 | 12th | —
|— |— |— |Eliminated | ||||||
| rowspan="3" |2015–16
| rowspan="3" |Blackwater |11 |3 |8 |.273 |10th |1 |0 |1 |.000 |Quarterfinals (1st phase) | |||||||||||
| Commissioner's Cup
|11 |3 |8 |.273 |10th |— |— |— |— |Eliminated | |||||||||||
| Governors' Cup
|11 |1 |10 |.910 |12th |— |— |— |— |Eliminated | |||||||||||
| rowspan="3" |2016–17
| rowspan="3" |Blackwater |11 |5 |6 |.455 |9th |— |— |— |— |Eliminated | |||||||||||
| Commissioner's Cup
|11 |2 |9 |.182 |11th |— |— |— |— |Eliminated | |||||||||||
| Governors' Cup
|11 |5 |6 |.455 |8th |2 |1 |1 |.500 |Quarterfinals | |||||||||||
| rowspan="2" |2017–18
| rowspan="2" |Blackwater |11 |5 |6 |.455 |10th |— |— |— |— |Eliminated | |||||||||||
| Commissioner's Cup
|3 |0 |3 |.000 | (fired) |— |— |— |— |— | |||||||||||
| colspan="3" |Career totals
!125 !32 !93 !.256 !Playoff totals !4 !1 !3 !.250 !0 championships |
In other media
- He was also a PBA commentator during the 2003 season.
- Outside of basketball, he is also an avid analyst of horse racing.{{cite news |title=PBA coaches split between Miami Heat and San Antonio Spurs for Game Seven |url=http://www.interaksyon.com/interaktv/pba-coaches-split-between-miami-heat-and-san-antonio-spurs-for-game-seven |work=InterAksyon.com |date=June 20, 2013 |accessdate=July 16, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150716222310/http://www.interaksyon.com/interaktv/pba-coaches-split-between-miami-heat-and-san-antonio-spurs-for-game-seven |archive-date=July 16, 2015 |url-status=dead }}
References
{{Reflist}}
{{s-start}}
{{succession box
| before = first
| title = Dr. J Rubbing Alcohol head coach
| years = 1998
| after = last
}}
{{succession box
| before = first
| title = Montaña Pawnshop head coach
| years = 2001–2002
| after = Turo Valenzona
}}
{{succession box
| before = –
| title = Blustar Detergent Kings head coach
| years = 2002–2003
| after = last
}}
{{succession box
| before = Horacio Lim
| title = Mapua Cardinals men's basketball head coach
| after = Chito Victolero
}}
{{succession box
| before =
| title = Arellano Chiefs men's basketball head coach
| years = Until 2009
| after = Junjie Ablan
}}
{{succession box
| before = first
| title = Noosa Shoe Stars head coach
| years = 2008
| after = last
}}
{{succession box
| before = Yeng Guiao
| title = Barako Bull Energy Boosters head coach
| years = 2009–2010
| after = Junel Baculi
}}
{{succession box
| before = Junjie Ablan
| title = Arellano Chiefs men's basketball head coach
| years = 2010
| after = Koy Banal
}}
{{succession box
| before = first
| title = Blackwater Sports (PBA D-League) head coach
| years = 2011–2014
| after = elevated
}}
{{succession box
| before = first
| title = Blackwater Elite head coach
| years = 2014–2018
| after = incumbent
}}
{{s-end}}
{{navboxes|list=
{{Blackwater Elite}}
{{Ginebra San Miguel 1986 PBA Reinforced Conference Champions}}
{{Añejo Rum 65ers 1988 PBA All-Filipino Conference Champions}}
{{Ginebra San Miguel 1991 PBA 1st Conference Champions}}
{{Shell Rimula X 1992 PBA First Conference Champions}}
{{NCAA Men's Basketball Most Valuable Player Award}}
}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Isaac, Leo}}
Category:Filipino men's basketball coaches
Category:Filipino men's basketball players
Category:Barangay Ginebra San Miguel players
Category:Mapúa Cardinals basketball players
Category:Barako Bull Energy Boosters coaches
Category:Shell Turbo Chargers players
Category:Great Taste Coffee Makers draft picks
Category:Blackwater Bossing coaches
Category:Arellano Chiefs basketball coaches