IT can be done, after all. All it takes is a strong political will. In the past, prominent youthful athletes were disallowed by their school officials to see action in overseas international basketball competitions by the Philippines while league play in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) and University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) was in progress.
Conflict of schedule was their flimsy reason. What a dubious – if not unpatriotic – reason that was. It was as if these know-it-all school officials – specifically God-fearing (?) priests – from different Catholic institutions were foolishly thinking that winning a high school championship for their school was more important than bringing honor and glory to the country.
League officials must share in the blame. They would want the hoop fans to believe that a postponement of their games would upset their schedule and the gate receipts would be greatly affected if it were to allow their top stars to see action with the Philippine national team.
Baloney! Their action is an insult to the intelligence of the basketball public. When the weather is bad, don’t the UAAP and NCAA postpone their games? In the past, postponements even stretch for a week.
That’s to think that an international basketball tournament lasts for only 10 to 12 days. Such action also directly clashes with the “Bayan muna, bago iba” philosophy which I believe is being taught to youthful students in school.
“Ang mamatay nang dahil sa iyo” says the final line of our Pambansang Awit. But don’t tell that to administration officials from the elite and filthy-rich Catholic institutions from Metro Manila that do not pay taxes to the government unlike the lowly you and me.
‘Yung “Bayan muna” tinuturo ng mga makapangyarihang at santo-santuhang pare mula sa iba’t-ibang paaralang Katoliko ay “lip service” lang pala.
Playing for the flag – or representing the Philippines – should take precedence every time. All other activities, including school athletics, must take a back seat when the national tri-colors are involved.
No small wonder that our Under-15 and Under-17 national teams to FIBA Asia competitions could only rank fourth or fifth at best because the top high-school cagers are not allowed to leave their schools during league competitions to play for the country.
(Youth coach Olsen Racela learned it the hard way.) After having said all the above, this Hoopster is elated that college basketball in Metro Manila has taken a two-week sabbatical to give way to the 27th FIBA Asia Men’s Basketball Championship to be held in Manila from August 1-11.
Now that’s the most patriotic way to do things here – the NCAA and UAAP postponing the games to give full support to the Philippine national squad that is hosting the biennial event for the first time since 1973.
“Bayan muna” really that is. The fertile mind in me still says it’s because the event is being played here – and not overseas – and no single player from their schools is on the roster of coach Chot Reyes anyway (no play, no injury, is that right?).
Okay, I am conceding. The “Bayan muna, bago iba” principle, indeed, has been applied in this instance. Kudos to the NCAA and UAAP officials this time around.
For the record, the Philippines registered a 10-0 mark, including a 90-78 victory over Shin Dong Pa and previously unbeaten South Korea in the finals, to secure the 1973 Asian Basketball Confederation tournament (now known as FIBA Asia Championship) at the old Rizal Memorial Coliseum.
The country took the crown with an all-homegrown Filipino cast. No Fil-foreigner or naturalized player was involved at the time. The Philippines topped the tournament for the last time during the 1985 ABC edition in Malaysia while bannered by a pair of naturalized players – Americans Jeff Moore and Dennis Still.
Contrary to what has been passed around as gospel truth, another American, Chip Engelland, did not suit up for the Nationals. According to FIBA rules at the time, only two naturalized players were allowed per team.
Since then, only one naturalized player is eligible to play for a national team. The Philippines has one in the ongoing 15-nation FIBA Asia Championship that rewards three tickets to the FIBA World Cup (formerly known as the World Basketball Championship) next year in Madrid, Spain in American-born Marcus Douthit, who also suited up for the 2011 team that ranked fourth in Wuhan, People’s Republic of China.
Two years ago, host China barely beat Jordan to regain the FIBA Asia title. The Islamic Republic of Iran, powered by 7-foot-2 National Basketball Association (NBA) mastodon Hamed Haddadi, had captured back-to-back championships in 2007 and 2009.
The road to Spain begins in earnest with the results of the eight-team quarterfinal (third) round with a knockout format. A win there will push a team to the semifinals, where a mere bronze-medal finish would propel it to the 2014 FIBA World Cup in Spain.
Madrid also played host to the 1986 World Basketball Championship. That year, the Philippines declined to send a team to the quadrennial spectacle despite its status as Asian kingpin due to the political turmoil in Manila that is more known as EDSA Revolution I.
The Philippines last played in the WBC (which is being called the FIBA World Cup for the first time next year) in 1978 when the country hosted the games.
One flag, one nation, and a hundred million people. Let’s all support Team Pilipinas in the FIBA Asia Championship to be held at the state-of-the-art Mall of Asia Arena and old Ninoy Aquino Stadium.
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