Green Archers great Renren Ritualo and NorthPort owner and current House deputy speaker Mikee Romero were formally inducted in the Sports Hall of Fame of La Salle’s alumni association on Thursday. April 22.
The two were joined in this year’s Sports Hall of Fame of the De La Salle University Alumni Association by brothers Greg, Jomari and Rene Banzon, Ira Kim Flores, Alvin Ocampo and Edwin Reyes.
Ritualo was best remembered for his marksmanship during La Salle’s UAAP four-peat from 1998 to 2001 under coach Franz Pumaren before playing 12 seasons in the PBA, most notably with Air21 and Talk ’N Text.
His accomplishments while playing for the Green Archers prompted La Salle to retire his No. 4 jersey. Ritualo is one of five athletes who have had their jerseys retired by the school, namely cage legends Kurt Bachman (No. 33) and Lim Eng Beng (No. 14), volleyball star Manilla Santos (No. 14) and late table tennis Olympian Ian Lariba.
Romero had a successful run as owner of the Harbour Centre squad that won seven straight Philippine Basketball League championships from 2006 to 2009 and the Philippine Patriots team that captured the inaugural ASEAN Basketball League crown in 2010.
He also served as godfather of the national team that took home the gold in the 2007 Nakhon Ratchasima Southeast Asian Games before fulfilling his dream of owning a PBA team when the Batang Pier bought the franchise of the Powerade Tigers in 2012.
Romero currently serves as representative of the 1Pacman party list in the lower chamber.