NOT known to most hoop fans from this generation, reigning FIBA Asia titlist China’s ascension to power only came after the Philippines had dominated the landscape during the 1960s.
The Philippines’ men’s basketball team took the first two editions of the FIBA Asia Championship – which was then called the Asian Basketball Confederation (ABC) tournament – in 1960 and 1963 in Manila and Taipei, respectively.
The Filipinos actually emerged as the winners in four of the first seven servings of the FIBA-sanctioned tourney that determines the Asian zone qualifier to the Summer Olympics and World Basketball Championship, the latter of which will be renamed as the FIBA World Cup next year in Madrid, Spain.
Our boys romped away with their fifth and most recent FIBA Asia crown in 1985. During the December 28, 1985-January 5, 1986 competitions in Ipoh, Malaysia, the Philippines swept all of its games in the single round-robin tournament (there were no playoffs at the time), including a 76-72 victory over second-placer South Korea and an 82-72 triumph over third-placer China.
Coached by American Ron Jacobs, the Nationals relied on the services of naturalized players Jeff Moore and Dennis Still and locals such as Allan Caidic, Avelino (Samboy) Lim, Franz Pumaren, Hector Calma and the late Alfie Almario.
Outside of its success in the 1985 FIBA Asia meet, the Philippines’ men’s basketball team has been performing miserably at the Asian level since the mid-1970s, or following the birth of the professional Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) league in March 1975.
Employing exclusively players from the amateur ranks, the Filipinos have ranked no higher than fourth in the succeeding FIBA Asia tournaments. That’s also even after the country started to utilize the PBA pros in 2007.
The Philippines placed 5th in 1975, 5th again in 1977, 4th in 1979, 4th again in 1981, 9th in 1983, 4th in 1987, 8th in 1989, 7th in 1991, 11th in 1993, 12th in 1995, 9th in 1997, 11th in 1999 and 15th in 2003.
The country failed to send a team in 2001 and 2005 after being suspended by the FIBA both times due to leadership problems within the national basketball federation.
In 2007, a change in the local basketball leadership was supposed to bring a ray of hope for our hoops-crazy country. Instead, the Filipinos continue to struggle as Middle East countries like Lebanon (which was unable to see action in the ongoing 27th FIBA Asia competitions in Manila due to a FIBA suspension brought about by a leadership squabble in its national federation), Jordan, Qatar and the Islamic Republic of Iran have joined traditional powerhouses like China, South Korea, Chinese-Taipei and Japan in contending for the crown.
In the 2007 FIBA Asia edition in Tokushima, Japan, a PBA-dominated PH national squad ranked an embarrassing ninth after failing to hurdle the preliminary phase. Behind future NBA player Hamed Haddadi, Iran beat Lebanon (the runner-up in 2001, 2005 and 2007), 74-69, in the finals for its first FIBA Asia crown ever.
China placed 10th, having sent only its Team B because it had already qualified automatically for the 2008 Beijing Olympics as the host team.
Two years later in Tianjin, China, the Filipinos also were bannered by professionals from the PBA and “improved” to eighth. Iran, again powered by back-to-back FIBA Asia Most Valuable Player awardee Haddadi, humiliated the host Chinese, 70-52, in the finals to retain its title.
In 2011, in Wuhan, China, the Philippines settled for fourth place after dropping a 70-68 decision despite leading most of the way against South Korea in the bronze-medal game.
Not even the presence of a naturalized player, American Marcus Douthit, for the first time since 1985 could turn the tide as the Filipinos failed to repeat over Jordan in the semifinals with a 75-61 loss.
China regained the title, its 15th in 19 appearances overall, after edging the Jordanians, 70-69, in the finals. Iran fell to Jordan, 88-84, in the knockout quarterfinal round.
This time around, Douthit and 11 PBA stars that compose the current Team Pilipinas can only hope that Lady Luck finally smiles on them in the 27th FIBA Asia Championship in Manila.
The torturous road map to end the 28-year title drought begins on Friday, August 9, with the crucial eight-team single-game quarterfinal phase (third round) that sends the four matchup winners to the Final Foul (or medal round) and gives them an opportunity to secure one of the three tickets to next year’s 24-nation FIBA World Cup in Madrid, Spain.
On the two previous instances (1960 and 1973) that the Philippines had hosted the FIBA Asia Championship, it romped away with the title. Is another championship on home soil on the way?
Local hoop fans can only pray that nothing unfortunate happens between now and Sunday, August 11, when our boys seek to be invited to the Last Dance.