Eddie Casiano

Eddie Casiano Ojeda (born September 20, 1972) is a Puerto Rican former professional basketball player and current head coach for Piratas de Quebradillas of the Baloncesto Superior Nacional (BSN) and the Puerto Rican national team.

Eddie Casiano
Casiano in 2017
Piratas de Quebradillas
PositionHead coach
LeagueBSN
Personal information
Born (1972-09-20) September 20, 1972
Manhattan, New York
NationalityPuerto Rican
Listed height6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)
Listed weight200 lb (91 kg)
Career information
High schoolLawrence North (Indianapolis, Indiana)
Playing career1988–2008
PositionPoint guard
Number5
Coaching career2009–present
Career history
As player:
1988–2000Atléticos de San Germán
2001–2006Leones de Ponce
2007–2008Indios de Mayagüez
As coach:
2009–2015Indios de Mayagüez
2011–2015Halcones Rojos Veracruz
2016Cangrejeros de Santurce
2016–2018Santeros de Aguada
2016–presentPuerto Rico
2018–presentPiratas de Quebradillas
Career highlights and awards
As player:

As coach:

  • BSN champion (2012)
  • 2× BSN Coach of the Year (2009, 2012)
  • 2× LNBP champion (2012, 2014)
Medals
Men's basketball
Representing  Puerto Rico
FIBA AmeriCup
2003 San Juan
Centrobasket
2003 Culiacán
2004 Santo Domingo
Goodwill Games
1994 Saint Petersburg
Head coach for  Puerto Rico
Centrobasket
2016 PanamaTeam
Central American and Caribbean Games
2018 Barranquilla

He was born in Manhattan, New York, but raised in Puerto Rico. Casiano played for the Atléticos de San Germán, Leones de Ponce, and Indios de Mayagüez in the Baloncesto Superior Nacional in a career spanning from 1988 to 2008. Casiano was also a member of the Puerto Rican national basketball team, including been part of the 2004 team that defeated the United States at the 2004 Olympic Games in Greece.[1]

Casiano was an integral part of the San Germán team that won three championships during the 1990s. After being traded to Ponce, Casiano won two more championships with them. After retiring from basketball, Casiano became head coach of the Indios de Mayagüez in 2009. In 2012, he led his team to its first championship in history.[2]

In 2016, Casiano was selected as coach of the Puerto Rico national basketball team.[3][4]

Early years and education

Eddie Casiano was born in Manhattan, New York City to Puerto Rican parents. At the age of 7, he moved to the island with his mother Carmen Ojeda. After establishing in Bayamón, Casiano started practicing basketball with the support of his mother and grandparents.[3]

Casiano went to Lawrence North High School in Indianapolis and was teammates with North Carolina standout Eric Montross.[5]

Casiano and Quiñones were teenagers at the time (fifteen and seventeen, respectively) and hadn't finished high school yet. During his first years, Casiano was kept mostly on the bench and his contributions were minimal. In 1991, with the departures of Bobby Ríos and Ernesto Malcolm from San Germán, Casiano and Quiñones became starters with 18 and 20 years respectively. Because of their age at the time, the team was nicknamed by the media as Los Nenes de San German (San German's Boys). Their sharpshooting style led the team to three championships during the 1990s (1991, 1994, 1997). During this time, Casiano also participated in his first Olympic Games, joining Ortiz as a member of the Puerto Rican National Basketball Team.

After the 2000 season, Casiano was traded to the Leones de Ponce along with Bobby Joe Hatton and Carlos Cortés. As a member of the Leones, Casiano won two more championships (2002 and 2004).

Casiano spent the last two years of his career with the Indios de Mayagüez, retiring in 2008 after 20 years of career.

Coaching career

After retiring from the BSN, Casiano became the head coach of the Indios de Mayagüez. He led the team to their first championship in 2012. Casiano also served as head coach in the Mexican professional basketball league.[2]

In March 2016, Casiano joined the coaching team of the Cangrejeros de Santurce. He served as assistant to then head coach Julio Toro.[6]

References
  1. "Puerto Rico 92, USA 73". Usabasketball.com. Archived from the original on November 1, 2011. Retrieved December 18, 2011.
  2. Rosa, Carlos (June 9, 2013). "Casiano y Quiñones: eternos nenes". El Nuevo Día.
  3. Rosa, Carlos (April 7, 2016). "Incrédulo aún Eddie Casiano". El Nuevo Día. Retrieved April 7, 2016.
  4. Fuentes, Christian (April 5, 2016). "Eddie Casiano, dirigente de Puerto Rico". Metro.pr. Retrieved April 7, 2016.
  5. "Eric Montross recuerda a Eddie Casiano". Primera Hora. November 22, 2010. Retrieved April 7, 2016.
  6. Fuentes, Christian (March 30, 2016). "De espera en Santurce Casiano". Metro.pr. Retrieved April 7, 2016.
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