Barangay Ginebra San Miguel mourned the loss of long-time utility man Jun Vicera who passed away Saturday.
Veteran Mark Caguioa and coach Tim Cone were among those who paid tribute to Vicera, a member of the Ginebra support staff dating back to the days of the great Robert Jaworski.
“For the people that (don't) know Mang Jun he is a legend and one of the most important key members of the team. You have Coach Sonny and this guy Mang Jun,” Caguioa said on his Instagram account.
“Just heard the news of the passing of Mang Jun. He was really loved by the players and the organization, and he was my connection to the great Ginebra past. We all will miss him dearly,” Cone tweeted.
Caguioa recalled Vicera as a person who is not only capable of giving a good massage but also comic relief inside the Ginebra camp.
“He is always there when you need him,” Caguioa said. “If you're injured or you need a massage Mang Jun can do this for hours while telling you jokes. You can tell he loves working for Ginebra.
“If he thinks you're sick he will give you hot water in a bottle with Vicks vapor rub inside and tell you to sniff it and it will clear your blocked nose (jokoy). I was like WTF is this Mang Jun and it worked. From then on I started doing it because of him.
“Kidding aside we will all miss you and I'm sure the old school fans and old school players will miss you too. My heart truly goes out to the Vicera family. Rest in peace we love you Mang Jun,” added Caguioa.