Luz Oliveros Belardo is a former professional basketball player from the Philippines. She played for the Philippine national team and the Philippine women's basketball league, the Women's National Basketball League (WNBL).
Early Life
Luz Oliveros Belardo was born on May 25, 1957, in Manila, Philippines. She is the daughter of former Philippine basketball player Luis "Moro" Oliveros and his wife, Virginia Belardo. Luz has three siblings: two brothers, Luis Jr. and Leo, and a sister, Lita.
Basketball Career
Luz Oliveros Belardo started playing basketball at an early age. She was a standout player at her high school, Colegio de San Juan de Letran, and was recruited by several colleges and universities in the United States. She eventually chose to attend the University of Hawaii at Manoa, where she played for the Rainbow Wahine basketball team.
At Hawaii, Luz Oliveros Belardo quickly became one of the team's top players. She was a two-time All-Western Athletic Conference selection, and was named the WAC Player of the Year in 1978. She also led the Rainbow Wahine to their first NCAA tournament appearance in 1978.
After graduating from Hawaii, Luz Oliveros Belardo returned to the Philippines to play for the Philippine national team. She helped the Philippines win the gold medal at the 1981 Southeast Asian Games, and was named the tournament's MVP. Luz also played for the Philippine team at the 1984 Olympics in Los Angeles.
In addition to her international career, Luz Oliveros Belardo also played professionally in the WNBL. She played for several teams, including the Delta Air Lines, the Gold Eagle Airways, and the Philippine Ladies Basketball Team. Luz was a multiple-time WNBL champion and was named the WNBL MVP in 1985.
Post-Basketball Career
After retiring from basketball, Luz Oliveros Belardo worked as a sports commentator and analyst for various television networks in the Philippines. She has also been active in the sports community, serving as the president of the Philippine Sportswriters Association (PSA) and as a board member of the Philippine Olympic Committee (POC).
Luz Oliveros Belardo is considered one of the greatest female basketball players in Philippine history. She was inducted into the Philippine Basketball Hall of Fame in 2006.