Olsen Racela leaves FEU Tamaraws’ head coaching post

By Leobert Julian A. de la Peña

PBA legend Olsen Racela will no longer call the shots for the Far Eastern University (FEU) Tamaraws in the upcoming UAAP men’s basketball season.

The University announced that Racela will not handle the collegiate men’s team of the Tamaraws anymore after six years of mentoring the squad.

“We thank Coach Olsen for guiding our Tamaraws with class and for always instilling the proper values,” FEU wrote in their statement.

Olsen took over the coaching job of his brother Nash last 2017 and kicked off FEU’s winning tradition after punching a Final Four ticket in his first four years.

Racela was responsible for the winning culture that the Tamaraws instilled and were always frontrunners for the UAAP championship title every year.

However, Racela failed to lead the team to a Final Four finish during the recently concluded UAAP Season 85 where the Ateneo de Manila University (ADMU) Blue Eagles retaliated against their rival school UP Fighting Maroons.

The Racela-mentored Tamaraws finished the season with a disappointing 5-9 win-loss record but had the chance to enter the Final Four if they won their last three games.

The former San Miguel Beermen also helped shape the likes of L-Jay Gonzales, Ilonggo guard John Bryan Sajonia, Cholo Anonuevo, and Xyrus Torres.

Racela also handled former Gilas Pilipinas young cadet RJ Abarrientos who came out sizzling hot as a Tamaraw rookie.

However, Abarrientos wasn’t able to return for his sophomore year with FEU after accepting the offer from the Korean Basketball League (KBL).

Rumors are already starting to circulate that former Tamaraw and PBA star guard Denok Miranda will replace Racela in UAAP Season 86.