MANILA – Bacolodnon center Reynel Hugnatan of the Meralco Bolts has announced his retirement from playing in the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) after almost two decades.
Bolts head coach Luigi Trillo confirmed the decision of the 44-year-old Hugnatan to hang his sneakers for good following the expiration of his playing contract after the 2022-2023 PBA Season.
“Papa Rey Hugnatan will be joining us as part of the coaching staff. He’s no longer playing,” the newly-named Meralco head coach said in an interview with Noli Eala’s Power & Play.
Trillo added that the Bacolod City-native Hugnatan will have a vital role in his coaching staff as he will be tasked to train and develop the big men of Meralco, including their outside shooting.
“It was the management’s decision to have him join the rest of the coaching staff on the bench,” Trillo said. “He does his work well, he’s professional, and he’ll be helping our players out.”
A product of the University of Manila Hawks, Hugnatan started his professional basketball career in the defunct Metropolitan Basketball Association while playing for his hometown team Negros Slashers.
Hugnatan then decided to join the PBA Draft in 2003 and was selected ninth overall by the Coca Cola Tigers, where he played for two years and won his first-ever PBA championship.
The Bacolodnon big man was then traded to the Alaska Aces in 2005 and played there for six years under then head coach Tim Cone and his assistant Trillo. He won two PBA titles there.
Hugnatan was then traded to trhe Bolts, where he played a total of 11 seasons and was part of the four runner-up finishes of the franchise in the 2016, 2017, 2019, and 2022 Governors Cup.
In his final season in the PBA, Hugnatan suited up for a total of 21 games with the Bolts and averaged 3.4 points, 1.5 rebounds, 0.4 assists and 0.3 blocks in almost 8.8 minutes of action./PN
