Fair Play: RP's best struggles against Asia's best teams
THE last time I got really excited with our national basketball team was in 2002 during the Asian Games.
Against South Korea in the semifinals, I went from “Yes, we are in the finals!” to “What the…” in the final seconds of the game.
Despite that heartbreaking loss, I still bothered to catch the battle for the bronze game against Kazakhstan.
Ironically, in that game, it was Asi Taulava—the guy accused of being a Fil-Sham—who seemed to do all the fighting. The rest seemed to have left their hearts in the locker.
That latest heartbreak led me to believe that the pro teams were all hype, and no substance.
The first time I started paying attention to our national basketball team was back in 1994, when members of San Miguel Beer got to represent the country as an incentive for winning the All-Filipino Conference.
I remember, during the run-up to the Asian Games 94, the team had a series of setbacks, and after earlier deciding to go solid SMB, they got a few reinforcements from the other PBA teams.
But in ‘94, four years after the Philippines lost in the finals to China, Asia’s shortest basketball-loving country failed to win a medal.
In 1998, the Centennial Team was tasked to reclaim the country’s old spot as Asia’s best.
They won the Jones Cup in Taiwan, then embarked on a US tour and got a 10-second spot in CNN sports after figuring in a brawl with a US NCAA Division 2 team.
They got the bronze medal in the Asian Games.
Then came the 2002 team.
And six years later, we have the Powerade Team.
Though I’ve sort of stopped pinning any hopes on the team, I admit I started believing again, especially with how they’ve been hyping Japeth Aguilar.
I thought Aguilar only needed to lace up a pair of sneakers and he’d score 50 a pop and the Philippines wins.
But after the Jones Cup, where the Philippines got their breakfast-lunch-dinner and everything in between handed to them six times in eight games, I don’t know what to believe anymore.
Sure they beat Kazakhstan and Chinese Taipei, but against the rest, they faltered badly.
Losing by 25 to Iran in their final game, lost by two despite a 19-point lead against Japan, lost by 31 to Jordan…the list goes on.
The Jones Cup was just a test, the hype machine says, the real deal is the Fiba-Asia Championships in a few days time.
But so far, the RP team’s grade has been pretty low.
And they’ll be facing the meanest hombres in the Fiba Asia Championships.
FOOTBALL. There’s going to be a Congress later this month and based on the recent traffic in the chat box of my blog, some folks can’t wait for it.
Because of the lack of response from the CebuFA, the talks regarding the recent controversy that hit the FA are getting ridiculous.
I really don’t entertain accusations coming from anonymous folks, especially those that tackle personal issues but I think it’s about time the board ended their silence.
Last Tuesday, CebuFA promised they will issue a statement.
I hope whoever is writing that finishes it soon and sends it to the football clubs.
I also hope in this year’s congress, the different factions will get a chance to air their grievances, address them and work together.
No one can help the sport but the local stakeholders.
Against South Korea in the semifinals, I went from “Yes, we are in the finals!” to “What the…” in the final seconds of the game.
Despite that heartbreaking loss, I still bothered to catch the battle for the bronze game against Kazakhstan.
Ironically, in that game, it was Asi Taulava—the guy accused of being a Fil-Sham—who seemed to do all the fighting. The rest seemed to have left their hearts in the locker.
That latest heartbreak led me to believe that the pro teams were all hype, and no substance.
The first time I started paying attention to our national basketball team was back in 1994, when members of San Miguel Beer got to represent the country as an incentive for winning the All-Filipino Conference.
I remember, during the run-up to the Asian Games 94, the team had a series of setbacks, and after earlier deciding to go solid SMB, they got a few reinforcements from the other PBA teams.
But in ‘94, four years after the Philippines lost in the finals to China, Asia’s shortest basketball-loving country failed to win a medal.
In 1998, the Centennial Team was tasked to reclaim the country’s old spot as Asia’s best.
They won the Jones Cup in Taiwan, then embarked on a US tour and got a 10-second spot in CNN sports after figuring in a brawl with a US NCAA Division 2 team.
They got the bronze medal in the Asian Games.
Then came the 2002 team.
And six years later, we have the Powerade Team.
Though I’ve sort of stopped pinning any hopes on the team, I admit I started believing again, especially with how they’ve been hyping Japeth Aguilar.
I thought Aguilar only needed to lace up a pair of sneakers and he’d score 50 a pop and the Philippines wins.
But after the Jones Cup, where the Philippines got their breakfast-lunch-dinner and everything in between handed to them six times in eight games, I don’t know what to believe anymore.
Sure they beat Kazakhstan and Chinese Taipei, but against the rest, they faltered badly.
Losing by 25 to Iran in their final game, lost by two despite a 19-point lead against Japan, lost by 31 to Jordan…the list goes on.
The Jones Cup was just a test, the hype machine says, the real deal is the Fiba-Asia Championships in a few days time.
But so far, the RP team’s grade has been pretty low.
And they’ll be facing the meanest hombres in the Fiba Asia Championships.
FOOTBALL. There’s going to be a Congress later this month and based on the recent traffic in the chat box of my blog, some folks can’t wait for it.
Because of the lack of response from the CebuFA, the talks regarding the recent controversy that hit the FA are getting ridiculous.
I really don’t entertain accusations coming from anonymous folks, especially those that tackle personal issues but I think it’s about time the board ended their silence.
Last Tuesday, CebuFA promised they will issue a statement.
I hope whoever is writing that finishes it soon and sends it to the football clubs.
I also hope in this year’s congress, the different factions will get a chance to air their grievances, address them and work together.
No one can help the sport but the local stakeholders.
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