Freddie Hubalde

Alfredo Hubalde

No. 10 – Retired
Position	Small Forward/Shooting Guard
League	PBA
Personal information
Born	(1953-09-14) September 14, 1953
Nationality	Philippines
Listed height	6 ft 1 in (185 cm)
Career information
College	Mapúa Institute of Technology
PBA draft	1975 / Elevated
Selected by the Crispa Redmanizers
Pro playing career	1975–present
Career history
Tanduay Rhum Masters, Purefoods, Formula Shell, Añejo Rhum
Career highlights and awards
1977 PBA Most Valuable Player 1977 PBA Mythical First Team 1978 PBA Mythical First Team 1986 PBA Mythical First Team PBA's 25 Greatest Players

Alfredo Hubalde (born September 14, 1953), also known as Freddie Hubalde, is a former Filipino professional basketball player. Hubalde played college ball for the Mapúa Institute of Technology, before eventually moving on to play professional basketball in the Philippine Basketball Association. He also has the distinction of being one of the few NCAA high school players playing for the senior team during his stay with Mapua.

Hubalde is a former Most Valuable Player awardee (1977) of the PBA.^[1] He played small forward for the Crispa Redmanizers, the Tanduay Rhum Makers, Purefoods, Formula Shell, and finally Añejo Rhum. Hubalde was a low key but reliable offensive player who could turn the game around with his deadly shooting both from the perimeter and, in his later years, from three-point range. He became famous for his off-the-glass jumpers and tight undergoal stabs ("dukot"). On defense, he utilized his patented "back tap" when stripping the player he is guarding of possession. In 2000, he was named a member of the PBA's 25 Greatest Players.

When the mighty Crispa Redmanizers disbanded at the end of the 1984 season, Hubalde and teammate Abet Guidaben moved to Tanduay and instantly transformed the team into a playoff contender. Before the start of the 1985 Third Conference, Guidaben was traded to Manila Beer in exchange for Ramon Fernandez, thus ushering a bright new era for the team still in search of a championship. In the 1986 Reinforced (First) Conference, Tanduay, now led by Fernandez and Hubalde and backstopped by wily point guard Willie Generalao, forwards Jayvee Yango and Padim Israel and superb imports Rob Williams and Andre McKoy, finally won its first ever PBA title. With his steady play and clutch shooting, Hubalde led Tanduay to its second title the following conference, capturing the All-Filipino championship at the expense of Robert Jaworski and Ginebra San Miguel. In the title-clinching game, Hubalde sank two free throws off a Jaworski foul in the waning seconds to win the game for Tanduay. Tanduay would fail in its bid for a grand slam as Ginebra easily won the Open (Third) Conference, thanks to its devastating import combination in Billy Ray Bates and Michael Hackett. The Rhum Makers, however, would bounce back the following year as they dominated the 1987 Open (First) Conference with former Celtic David Thirdkill as import en route to their third championship in the last four conferences. This would be Hubalde's 16th and last chamnpionship (He won 13 with Crispa) in the PBA, making him the second winningest behind Fernandez's 19.

Hubalde is the father of basketball players Frederick "Derrick" Hubalde and Shopinas.com Clickers Paolo Hubalde.

References