Renren Ritualo

Filipino basketball player

Florendo R. "Renren" Ritualo Jr. (born June 14, 1979) is a Filipino former professional basketball player and current assistant coach. He last played for the Shopinas. com Clickers of the Philippine Basketball Association and is currently an assistant coach for the Adamson Falcons in the UAAP. Nicknamed The Rainman, Ritualo was also a one time member of the Philippine National Team. He served as the panelist on UAAP coverage in ABS CBN Sports occasionally and was also a game analyst for Radyo 92.3 News FM.

Ritualo is the son of former PBA player Florendo Ritualo Sr. and Maria Yasoña de Ramos of Lumban, Laguna. Aside from his father, he also looked up to PBA and NBA greats such as Alvin Patrimonio and Michael Jordan. He was also recruited by UP. He first played for La Salle in 1997. He earned Rookie of the Year honors as he became known for his ability to shoot beyond the arc. In 1998, La Salle hired Franz Pumaren, a former Green Archer and 12 year PBA veteran, to be its new head coach. In 1999, Ritualo scored 33 points against UST. They made it to the Finals, where they played the UST Growling Tigers. The Archers lost Game 1, as Aldeguer took a three point shot that should have been for Ritualo. They swept FEU in the Finals. Ritualo didn't make the Mythical Five that year as he had a hand injury, which would be the only time he didn't make it in his UAAP career. He also won his last championship against Ateneo that season.

During his UAAP stint, Ritualo signed up with Tanduay in the Philippine Basketball League (PBL) in 1998 in a limited role for the team as the Centennial Rhum Masters took a runner up finish in the 2nd Yakult PBL Centennial Cup tournament. After Tanduay left the PBL, Ritualo was the key player for Tanduay's Colt 45 team in the 1999 PBL Challenge Cup, when the team placed third in the tournament. After Colt45 decided to leave the league, Ritualo joined Welcoat Paints in late 1999. Ritualo led Welcoat to three PBL titles from 1999 to 2001 before jumping to the PBA.

Ritualo was selected as the eight overall pick in the 2002 PBA draft by expansion team FedEx Express. But before Ritualo was set to join FedEx, he was part of the RP National Training Pool for the 2002 Busan Asian Games. Ritualo was cut from the national team and returned to his mother team. By season's end, he was named as the 2002 PBA Rookie of the Year. He also participated in that year's All Star game, as a member of the North All Stars. On April 29 of that year, he made 9 threes in one quarter in FedEx's 116–106 victory over Red Bull Barako, tying a record he shared with Allan Caidic. Ritualo recorded a 40 point output against Purefoods on January 27, 2006, during Game Three of the Fiesta Conference Semi finals series, held in the Ynares Sports Complex. Ritualo was also the first local player in PBA history to have four games in a career with at least eight three pointers in each of those games.

On May 8, 2006, Ritualo, along with Patrick Fran, was traded from Air21 to the Talk 'N Text Phone Pals in exchange for Leo Avenido and two future first round draft picks, which were used in 2007 and 2008. With Ritualo's addition, as well as the trade that sent Alaska Aces slotman Don Allado to the Phone Pals for Willie Miller, John Ferriols & a future pick, the Phone Pals were considered one of the deepest lineups in the 2006 Philippine Cup. However, the Phone Pals never made it past the wildcard phase, ending their season. During the 2007 Philippine Cup, he averaged 13.83 points per game in the 18 games of the elimination round. In the 2008 All Star Weekend, Ritualo won his only 3 Point Shootout.

After playing for the Express, he was acquired by the Powerade Tigers during the off season. He only had limited minutes during the Philippine Cup.

The Meralco Bolts signed up Ritualo after the Powerade Tigers released him to the free agency pool during the Philippine Cup off season. That was the most points the Shopinas. com/Air21 franchise had scored in franchise history.

Air21 Express released Ritualo and he was picked up by the Alaska Aces. However, he was not included in the lineup for the 2013–14 season. It is said that these during these games, NBA teams such as the New Jersey Nets and Philadelphia 76ers were scouting him. He also covered UAAP and NCAA games for ABS CBN Sports.

Ritualo first became a shooting coach for the Mahindra Enforcers. He accepted the offer and has held the position since 2015. On June 29, 2022, Ritualo was announced as the head coach of the La Salle Green Hills Greenies.