All About Pilipinas Basketball

Song by: Pupil

"Kaninang umaga
Nagising ako
may bakas ng ngiti sa mukha
Kasama kita sa aking panaginip
Sasabihin ko dapat sa’yo
Pero

[chorus]
Wala ka na
Wala ka na pala
Wala ka na"

After the SMC-Team Pilipinas' campaign for an Olympic cameo appearance at the FIBA-ASIA, in Tokushima Japan, many were disappointed. Many fingers were pointed to the coaching staff, to the players (Caguioa, Seigle, Helterbrand, etc.), and some are even pointed to the Government. Many questions were thrown to the Team. So many, that for the most of them, answers are very hard to find..

"Nag-iisip, namimilipit sa galit
Umiikot ang aking paningin
Sa mga tanong na di kayang sagutin"

Even before the FIBA-ASIA Qualifying started, this has been the appeal of Team Pilipinas' coach Chot Reyes.. "..Ang sa akin lang naman, ay huwag na sana nating maging kalaban ang kapwa Pilipino.." But unfortunately, many of us did not respond to the call. Blames were thrown from anywhere. Even the 7 year-old ballers from our place were saying "buwaya kasi ang mga..". It's hard to admit but that failed campaign to Olympics resulted to a fewer supporter and believer of Pilipinas Basketball. "Magtanim na lang sila ng kamote..." as some would even say. But what they (Pilipinas Basketball Team) need right now is our continues support. They need every support they can get from the Filipino people, here and abroad. Withdrawing support to our very own Team Pilipinas will never help them in any way...

"Di na makikita, di na mahawakan
Ang maganda mong mukha pagka’t

[chorus]
Wala ka na
Wala ka na pala
Wala ka na

Nasaan ka?
Nasaan ka?
Nawala ng parang bula"

Right now, many plans were laid by The Samahan ng Basketball ng Pilipinas - BAP. From improving the Basketball programs in the country up to hosting FIBA International Games. The FIBA World Qualifying in 2009 is the nearest target for our Basketball Team, where we will have a better chance because three(3) teams from Asia will qualify. With this moves from SBP-BAP, our Pilipinas Basketball Team is hoping that OUR lost Basketball Glory and even Basketball FANS will once again be found.

"Mahahanap din kita
Mahahanap din kita
Mahahanap din kita
(kung may langit nga ba)
Mahahanap din kita

Mahahanap din kita
Mahahanap din kita
Mahahanap din kita…."

Mabuhay ang Pilipinas Basketball.... Astig!

Our road to Beijing is already close. But our Olympic dream is not yet over. There will be an eternity of Olympic basketball games ahead. A lot of time for us to build a stronger team. A lot of time to prepare. But here's one observation I had while giving my support to our very own Team Pilipinas. Maybe one reason why we never reach the end of our road to Beijing is that we skipped a step in putting our dream to reality.. That is... well the simplest step... to wake-up.

After our nightmares in Tokushima, finally, most of us are already awake. Even our Basketball leaders and experts. We have finally seen the reality that as long as we are in the shadows of US Basketball (one on one plays) we will never reach our dream.. our Olympic dream.

That was just one of the many realizations we must have. But from there, we could start to trace them one by one.

As a fan, I am hoping to see more programs and support for our Basketball and also for the entire Philippine Sports...

For now, we'll have to settle for just mere recognitions as one of the FUTURE of Asian basketball.

Salamat Team Pilipinas...

Astig!

By Rafe Bartholomew

Posted Monday, May 21, 2007, at 11:54 AM ET

A basketball player getting measured in the Philippines.

Everywhere you look in the Philippines, there's a jerry-built basketball game. In farming towns without paved courts, kids dribble on dirt and bank shots off of two-by-fours lashed to coconut trees. On Manila street corners, players who can't afford sneakers run the court in flip-flops or bare feet. The country's professional players, however, play on state-of-the-art courts and wear top-notch apparel. Still, the Philippine Basketball Association is missing something just as fundamental to the game: height.

Basketball is a tall man's game. But in the Philippines, where men are short and hoops is an obsession, something's got to give. Several native "big men" are barely taller than 6 feet 3 inches, the standard height for NBA guards. Dunks are so rare in the PBA that the league has toyed with the idea of making slams worth three points. The league adds a dash of high-wire athleticism by allowing each team to hire one foreign-born star. But permitting American 7-footers to play would wreak havoc among the Lilliputian locals. As a result, the PBA bans imports taller than 6 feet 6 inches.

The rule works. The PBA's foreigners are a versatile bunch: pure shooters, workhorses who do a little of everything, burly inside operators. But while the imports typically dominate games, they still leave room for the best Filipino players—guards who whirl through defenses and score on twisting layups—to do what they do best.

- I found this write-up weeks ago, and even published it on my blog before. I find it funny, having write-ups like these from abroad. Is this what THEY think about Philippine Basketball, OUR Basketball?

WE really need to produce taller players, local players, and I hope the PBA considers having 7'0" imports. This will really help us improve our Basketball.

They may be laughing at us, for now, because we are small in height, but with our BIG hearts, we know we can be one of the bests in the Basketball World soon. Let us continue to support the Philippine Basketball, OUR Basketball.

Mabuhay ang Team Pilipinas.... AStig! - justAfan