Leovino Austria (born March 14, 1958) is a Filipino professional basketball coach and former player who is the head coach of the San Miguel Beermen of the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA). He previously coached the team from 2014 to 2022, leading the team to nine PBA championships out of the ten Finals appearances. He also served as head consultant of the Beermen.
Playing career
Austria played his college basketball for the Lyceum of the Philippines University while also suiting up in the commercial Philippine Amateur Basketball League via Masagana 99. In 1984, he was named the Most Valuable Player of the Ambassador's Cup before joining the PBA.
In 1985, a new team Formula Shell drafted him, aside from nabbing fellow PABL standout Sonny Cabatu in the said draft. He made a quick impact for the new but veteran laden Shell squad and won the Rookie of the Year honors at season's end. His average of 3.9 points per game for that season marked the lowest average for a Rookie of the Year awardee up to that time. During his stint at Shell, he played backup point guard for Bernie Fabiosa, Al Solis, then Ronnie Magsanoc. He later played for Pepsi and was out of the league after the 1993 season. In 394 games played, he averaged 4.5 points a ballgame. He was known for his three-point shooting.
In 1988, he was awarded the Quezon Medalya ng Karangalan Award for Sports. The QMK Award is given to outstanding Quezonians who excelled in their chosen fields. In 1999, he suited up for a few games as a playing coach for his team Chowking due to injuries of his point guards.
Coaching career
Philippine Basketball League
Austria's first coaching stint was for Chowking during the late 90s. During those days, he steered Chowking to numerous semifinal appearances but were unable to clinch a finals appearance against powerhouse and PBA-bound team Tanduay, Red Bull, and Welcoat.
After Chowking was renamed as Shark Energy Drink in 2000, he led the team to two titles in four finals matches against Welcoat from 2000 to 2002. He coached a team led by Chester Tolomia, Roger Yap, Ervin Sotto, and Gilbert Malabanan.
In late 2002, he moved to former rival Welcoat Paints as its new head coach after returning from a one conference absence. With a star-studded lineup of Rommel Adducul, Paul Artadi, Eddie Laure, Ronald Tubid, and Marc Pingris, he led the Paintmasters to the 2002 PBL Challenge Cup championship over Dazz in a three-game sweep.
He later led Welcoat to a runner-up finish in 2003 with James Yap as one of its star players.
Shell Turbo Chargers
In 2004, Shell dismissed American head coach John Moran and named Austria as its new head coach, 19 years after starting his PBA career with the said team. During his only season with the Turbo Chargers, he coached a young but talented team of Tony dela Cruz, Ronald Tubid, Rookie of the Year Rich Alvarez, Billy Mamaril, and Roger Yap to two semifinal appearances and a third-place finish in the 2005 PBA Fiesta Conference. However, Shell disbanded after the 2004–2005 season. He then returned to the amateur ranks.
Adamson Falcons
In 2006, Austria was named head coach of the Adamson Falcons in the UAAP replacing Mel Alas after a disappointing 3-11 stint. With him at the helm, the Falcons made their first-ever Final Four appearance since the format was introduced. However, they were eliminated by the Ateneo Blue Eagles in a closely fought semifinals. He coached the team until in 2013, following a dismal UAAP Season 76 campaign, he resigned. In seven seasons serving as Adamson's tactician, he piled up an overall win–loss record of 40–56, including three trips to the Final Four in Seasons 69, 73 and 74.
Rain or Shine Elasto Painters/Welcoat Dragons In 2006, Welcoat bought the Shell franchise to join the PBA as its 10th member. With this development, Austria was renamed head coach of the Welbest franchise, this time carrying the banner of Rain or Shine Elasto Painters in preparation for their PBA debut. The Painters placed third in the 2006 PBL Unity Cup in the team's final conference.
He was formally named as the head coach of the Welcoat Dragons in the PBA. But after two seasons with the team, in 2008, he resigned as head coach citing that the management wanted a new direction. His former assistant Caloy Garcia took over his spot.
San Miguel Beermen (ABL)
Austria coached the San Miguel Beermen in the ABL where he was awarded as the Coach of the Year in 2013 and helped the team win the championship that same year.
San Miguel Beermen in the PBA
In 2014, Austria renewed his ties with the San Miguel franchise by signing a one-year deal to be the head coach of the Beermen. He won his first championship with SMB as a PBA head coach after defeating the Alaska Aces in seven games of the 2014–15 PBA Philippine Cup Finals. But in the Commissioner's Cup the Beermen failed to qualify in the playoffs. However, in the season ending tournament of the Governor's Cup he was able to steer the Beermen to another championship once again against the Aces this time in a sweep.
Austria later coached the team to seven more championships out of the next eight Finals appearances, which started with the 2015–16 PBA Philippine Cup Finals, in which they came back from an 0–3 deficit. When the Beermen lost to the Barangay Ginebra San Miguel in the 2018 PBA Commissioner's Cup Finals, it was the team's first Finals loss under Austria.
Personal life Austria is married to his wife Nanette. Nanette had a kidney transplant on the afternoon Austria won the 2018 PBA Philippine Cup. They have three kids, including Bacon, a basketball player himself. Bacon won the 2013 PBA D-League Foundation Cup with Blackwater Sports a day after his father won the 2013 ABL finals with the San Miguel Beermen. Father and son have previously been on opposing teams in the UAAP, with Leo coaching Adamson, and Bacon playing for Ateneo.
Coaching record
Professional record Season Team Conference Elims./Clas. round PlayoffsGPWLPCTFinishGPWLPCTResults2004–05 Shell Philippine Cup 18 12 6 .667 3rd 4 0 4 .000 Lost in third-place playoff Fiesta 18 7 11 .389 9th 8 5 3 .625 Won in third-place playoff2006–07 Welcoat Philippine Cup 18 3 15 .167 10th 0 Did not qualify Fiesta 18 4 14 .222 10th 0 Did not qualify2007–08 Welcoat Philippine Cup 18 4 14 .222 10th 0 Did not qualify2013 SMB ABL 22 19 3 .863 1st 7 6 1 .857 Won the finals2014–15 San Miguel Philippine Cup 11 9 2 .818 1st 11 8 3 .727 Won the finals Commissioner's Cup 11 4 7 .364 9th 0 Did not qualify Governors' Cup 11 8 3 .727 1st 10 8 2 .800 Won the finals 2015–16 San Miguel Philippine Cup 11 9 2 .818 2nd 13 8 5 .615 Won the finals Commissioner's Cup 11 8 3 .727 1st 6 2 4 .333 Lost in the semifinals Governors' Cup 11 8 3 .727 2nd 6 3 3 .500 Lost in the semifinals 2016–17 San Miguel Philippine Cup 11 10 1 .909 1st 13 9 4 .694 Won the finals Commissioner's Cup 11 9 2 .818 2nd 11 8 3 .727 Won the finals Governors' Cup 11 7 4 .636 6th 1 0 1 .000 Lost the quarterfinals 2017–18 San Miguel Philippine Cup 11 8 3 .727 1st 11 9 2 .818 Won the finals Commissioner's Cup 11 6 5 .545 6th 12 7 5 .583 Lost the finals Governors' Cup 11 6 5 .545 6th 1 0 1 .000 Lost the quarterfinals 2019 San Miguel Philippine Cup 11 7 4 .636 5th 16 11 5 .688 Won the finals Commissioner's Cup 11 5 6 .455 7th 12 9 3 .750 Won the finals Governors' Cup 11 6 5 .545 6th 1 0 1 .000 Lost the quarterfinalsTotals 277 159 118 143 93 50 9 championships
Collegiate record Season Team Eliminations PlayoffsGPWLPCTFinishPGWLPCTResults2006 AdU12 6 6 .500 4th 2 0 2 .000 Semifinals2008 AdU14 3 11 .214 7th — — — — Eliminated2009 AdU14 5 9 .358 5th — — — — Eliminated2010 AdU14 9 5 .643 3rd 1 0 1 .000 Semifinals2011 AdU14 10 4 .714 2nd 2 0 2 .000 Semifinals2012 AdU14 3 11 .214 6th — — — — Eliminated2013 AdU14 4 10 .286 7th — — — — Eliminated Totals 96 40 56 .417 5 0 5 .000 0 championship
References
External links The top 20 players of the PBL Ex-player Austria named new Shell Turbochargers coach Past Quezon Medalya ng Karangalan awardees (Leo Austria was awarded the QMK for Sports in 1988)