A two-time Olympian, a former Philippine Basketball Association Rookie of the Year, one of the most accomplished collegiate coaches in the country, a one-time college star who surprisingly never got to play in the PBA, and a cage icon who's well-loved by Filipino basketball fans.

They are some of the great names who will be remembered posthumously during the San Miguel Corporation-Philippine Sportswriters Association Awards Night this Monday at the grand ballroom of the Diamond Hotel.

FIBA World Cup bronze medalist Antonio "Tony" Genato, 1994 top PBA rookie Emmanuel "Boybits" Victoria, champion coach Loreto "Ato" Tolentino, Letran College legend Fernando "Dong" Libed, and beloved cage legend Avelino "Samboy" Lim are among those whose memories will be remembered during the formal proceedings on 29 January.

The country's sportswriting fraternity headed by its president, Nelson Beltran, editor of The Philippine Star, will give a brief tribute and offer a short prayer to 21 sports personalities who sadly passed away in 2023.

ArenaPlus, the leading sports entertainment gateway in the country, presents the traditional awards night, together with major sponsors the Philippine Sports Commission, Philippine Olympic Committee, Cignal, MILO and PLDT/Smart. Also backing the event are the Philippine Basketball Association, Premier Volleyball League, Rain or Shine and 1-Pacman Partylist Rep, Mikee Romero.

Also to be honored posthumously are PBA players Terry Saldaña, Ricky Mariano, Rudy Enterina, and Manuel "Molet" Pineda, former PBA chairman Rey Gamboa, Association of Boxing Alliances in the Philippines president Ed Picson, former sports commissioner and national player Tisha Abundo, and father of youth baseball in the country and former congressman Rodolfo Tingzon.

Football player Yoro Sangare will likewise be remembered along with boxer Kenneth Egano, Adamson deputy softball coach Estanislao "Sarge" Terrones, former sports editor and columnist Nap Gutierrez, motoring host and columnist Butch Gamboa, and Esports personalities Rob Luna, Charles Dave "Chad Devs" dela Pena and Ivan Emmanuel "Navi" Gacho.

Genato was best known for being part of the fabled 1954 Philippine men's basketball team that finished a historic third in the FIBA World Cup held in Rio de Janeiro and played in the 1952 (Helsinki) and 1956 (Melbourne) Olympics, respectively, while Tolentino was a known prolific scorer during his playing days who later carved out a name as the multi-titled coach of the University of Manila basketball program.