Chito Victolero

Chito Victolero

Star Hotshots
Position	Head coach
League	PBA
Personal information
Born	November 29, 1975 Santa Maria, Bulacan, Philippines
Nationality	Filipino
Listed height	5 ft 10 in (1.78 m)
Listed weight	150 lb (68 kg)
Career information
College	Mapúa Institute of Technology
PBA draft	2002 Round: 2 / Pick: 13th overall
Selected by the Sta. Lucia Realtors
Playing career	2002–2005
Position	Point guard
Coaching career	2009–present
Career history
As player:
2002–2005	Sta. Lucia Realtors
2005	FedEx Express
As coach:
2009–2012	Mapúa Cardinals (NCAA)
2014–2016	Kia Carnival / Kia Sorento / Mahindra Enforcer (assistant)
2016–present	Star Hotshots

Ercito Victolero, known as Chito Victolero (born November 29, 1975) in Sta. Maria, Bulacan, is a former Filipino professional basketball player and current coach. He is currently the head coach of the Star Hotshots in the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA).

He played in the PBA for the Sta. Lucia Realtors where he was drafted by the Realtors in the second round of the 2002 PBA draft as the 13th overall pick.

Early years

Victolero first played high school ball for the Sacred Heart Academy in Bulacan and later became a member of the Region III squad in the PRISAA. From there, he made it to the varsity squad and joined the Mapua Cardinals under coach Joel Banal in 1992, a year after MIT had completed back-to-back title conquests in the senior division of the NCAA.

He played in his first commercial ballclub in 1995 with the Stag Pale Pilsen in the Philippine Basketball League under coach Alfrancis Chua and was a member of the Pilseners that won the historic grandslam in the PBL.

Professional career

After playing college basketball for Mapúa, Victorelo applied for the 2002 PBA draft where he was drafted thirteenth overall by the Sta. Lucia Realtors.

Before the 2005 Fiesta Conference, Victorelo was signed by the FedEx Express where he played for one conference.

Coaching career

On April 2009, Victolero was hired by his alma mater, Mapúa, to be the head coach of the university's team, the Mapúa Cardinals. ^[1] However, Victorelo resigned from his post as head coach. According to a source, the Mapúa school administration was on the verge of firing Victorelo because of the team's poor performances in the NCAA. The school administration also elected not to renew Victorelo's expiring contract, but Victorelo left his post before the school administration could inform him in a scheduled meeting. ^[2]

Before the 2014–15 PBA season, Victolero was hired by the Kia Sorento to be one of the team's assistant coaches. Kia Head coach Manny Pacquiao credited Victolero as one of the reasons for Kia's inspiring run for the franchise's first season. ^[3]

References

1. "Ex-Cardinal Victolero named Mapua coach". Philippine Daily Inquirer. April 4, 2009. Retrieved July 16, 2015.
2. "Mapua coach Chito Victolero resigns from Cardinals post". InterAksyon.com. November 5, 2012. Retrieved July 16, 2015.
3. Panaligan, Marisse (June 24, 2015). "Pacquiao credits asst. coach Victolero for Kia's inspiring run". GMA News. Retrieved July 16, 2015.