IN A profession where seniority and experience are given utmost importance, only few are able to break the mold that has been proven as a blueprint to success. Yet, Coach Sandro Soriano’s unrelenting drive has taken him from the small courts of Iloilo to the bright lights of the UAAP stage and all the way to the biggest basketball stages in the world. 

With his immense love for basketball, Soriano has always been a student of the game, whether that meant taking the shots on the court or calling the shots off it. Eventually, when his height and speed could no longer keep up in the collegiate ranks, he turned his passion for the game into a new calling—coaching. 

Soriano’s unprecedented rise to the international basketball coaching scene stands not only as a story of inspiration but also as a trailblazing tale of determination and grit. 

Meteoric rise

From the outset, Coach Soriano already bled basketball while he was still a young kid from Iloilo. Born into a family where basketball was paramount, he was surrounded by a community with no shortage of passion for it. Taking inspiration from his grand-uncle, who represented the Philippines in the 1963 Olympics, Soriano would spend entire afternoons under the sun with his brothers and cousins, playing pick-up basketball against all who would step on the hardwood. 

“So growing up, it was all basketball. All the family reunions, we would talk about basketball […] so kumbaga ‘yung utak ko, basketball na lang talaga (in my head, it was always just basketball),” said the young Atenean coach.

Fueled by competitive daily basketball games, Soriano quickly developed outstanding skills in the sport. This led him to represent Region VI in the 2011 Palarong Pambansa, which was also his first exposure to an organized basketball tournament. Earning a silver medal alongside teammate Janjan Jaboneta, Coach Soriano caught the eyes of scouts nationwide, and not long after, found himself in the Ateneo.

Throughout college, Soriano stayed with the Blue Eagles and acted as the Team Captain of the Team B squad while concurrently holding the student manager position of the Team A unit. Despite his duties as a student, player, and student manager, Soriano remained focused on achieving his goal: to become the best student of the game as he could be. And in this goal, he learned that every mistake was a stepping stone to greater success.  

“It was really the passion for the game that fueled me to learn, to grasp, and to make mistakes as well, and that’s part of the learning process that I had in [the] Ateneo,” the former team captain stated.

After graduating from Ateneo, he eventually took on the role of the Head of Advanced Statistics for the Blue Eagles’ program, a position that opened him to concepts and schemes that further fanned the flames of his passion for the game. With the amount of experience Coach Soriano gained in such a short amount of time, his ascent to the top was only just beginning. Fortunately, for the young 20-year-old player at the time, the opportunity of a lifetime came not long after.

Touch the sky

Alongside managing to create an extensive résumé, Soriano’s years in the Eagles’ nest sharpened his understanding of the game and instilled in him the leadership skills that prepared him for what was to come next.

Building on his work as head of advanced statistics, Soriano transitioned into a dual role as video coordinator and statistician for Gilas Pilipinas. From there, he stepped onto the professional stage in the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA), serving as an assistant coach for the then-TNT Tropang Giga and the Meralco Bolts.

Having partaken in some of the Philippines’ premier Basketball leagues, Coach Soriano has crossed paths with many of basketball’s juggernauts, from national team mainstays to seasoned PBA veterans. Even so, the Ateneo alumnus stayed composed and committed to his craft, holding his own against some of the sport’s best.

“I was thinking, how can those guys who are in their prime listen to a 20-year-old who’s still in college? So I thought about it and I was like, I have to have this impression on them through the work that I do, through my output,” Soriano recounted.

This mindset of Coach Soriano has defined much of his work from the sidelines, as seen in the players he has coached throughout his career. Former Blue Eagle SJ Belangel, who worked with Soriano in Gilas, highlighted the importance of his contributions during the challenging pandemic period for Philippine basketball.

“He was the unsung hero […] he was the one preparing our videos, game plans, practice plans, and scouting reports of the other team, which is very much an important part of basketball,” Belangel expounded.

Besides Belangel, Aaron Black also expressed the influence Soriano had left on him. From their time together as Blue Eagles to their championship win with the Meralco Bolts, Black had a firsthand experience of the insight and guidance that Soriano brought to the table. This encounter leaves Black with optimism about the future of his former colleague. 

“I know that he’s going to keep on working and he’s going to keep on learning. And that will only spell good things for him,” Black affirmed.

Now, the seasoned Soriano is set to travel halfway across the world to continue his coaching career in Utah Prep. Under the tutelage of Mark Dickel, he steps into his new role with one goal in mind: to elevate Philippine basketball.

“One of my goals is to elevate the game of basketball here in the Philippines […] [and] to give back to the game and the players […] I want others to have the chance to learn the game well and to embrace the concepts and systems that are lacking here in the Philippines,” Soriano expressed.

As Soriano continues his coaching tenure, this next chapter opens opportunities for him to broaden both his impact and journey as a coach. Through it all, Soriano’s coaching career continues to draw from the Ignatian values he learned at Ateneo.

Above and beyond

While his career is marked by growth, Coach Soriano has also made his share of mistakes. Yet, for those who wish to follow in his footsteps, he believes that this is exactly what makes the journey meaningful.

“It was good I made those mistakes because that opened up [the opportunity] for other people around me to teach me as well. So, don’t be afraid to make mistakes and surround yourself with people who will guide, teach you, and care for you,” said Soriano.

All in all, Soriano’s story embodies the spirit of magis and what it means to be Atenean, which is to be a person for others. His time as a student-manager and coach has shown nothing but service and dedication, coupled with a love for the game.

Grounded in these experiences, Coach Soriano’s journey proves that age is no barrier to impact. From Iloilo’s open courts to the sidelines of professional basketball, his rise is a testament to how leadership is measured not by age or titles, but by the lives one shapes.