Basketball-Crazy Philippines

I HAVE been a zealous basketball fan in the 60's, my elementary days, and I am delighted to share my hoop memoirs with you. Yung mga tumatak sa isip ko sa pagdaan ng maraming taon...

MICAA (Manila Industrial and Commercial Athletic Assoc.) ang pasimuno ng lahat simula pa nuong 1938. Bale mga kumpanya ang teams dito...katulad din ng PBA (Philippine Basketball Association) ngayon. But that's getting ahead of our story...

Photo credit: YCO Painters/MICAA/facebook.com

The Guillermo brothers -- wala pang JINGLE noon -- were Yco ("sapak ang apak sa Yco floorwak") adherents (also Crispanatics in latter years). They were bannered by spitfire Freddie Webb (ambilis niyang tumakbo), Mike Bilbao, Elias Tolentino (hindi nagugusot ang buhok, nakapomada kasi) and Joy Cleofas (Blue Eagle standout) that played hard but clean basketball in every game. Naging mainit nuong 60's ang Yco-Ysmael rivalry. Black and white pa nga ang TV nuon at yung me kurtinang kahoy na bukas-sara at pamproteksyon sa screen. 

Photo credit: rpbasketballphotos.blogspot.com

Ysmael Steel was headlined by Narciso Bernardo, Orlando Bauzon, Jimmy Mariano, Roel Nadurata and Jun Papa, to name a few...Madami rin silang napanalunang kampeonato.

In later years, San Miguel also had a formidable team then bannered by Cebuanos (and corn-chomping?) Yoyong Martirez (fast and furious rin siya), Manny Paner and Estoy Estrada...

Enter the 70's...

Nung pumasok ang 70's...sino ba naman ang hindi nakakaalam sa fabled Crispa-Toyota wars? Kabubuo pa lang ng PBA nuon at palaging punumpuno ang Rizal Memorial pag may laro ang dalawang pinakasikat na teams. Later on eh sa Big Dome na. Nanonood pa nga kaming magkakapatid kasama ang ilang empleyado namin -- mapa-Rizal Memorial o Araneta Coliseum man. Ang lalakas naming sumigaw. Syempre -- strength in numbers.

Crispa was led by exceptional players like Narciso Bernardo, Jun Papa (both deadshots from afar -- remember that the 3-pt. shot was still not legit in those times) and Danny Florencio (his undergoal stabs (dukot) were veritable highlight plays na wala pa noon sa kamalayan natin). Low-tech pa dati ang TV broadcast industry. 

Photo credit: ceciliadalupan@cnnphilippines.com

Rudolph Kutch, Rudy Soriano and Johnny Revilla (probably the least heralded point guard) were the stars before the celebrated bunch came along, which was comprised of Bogs Adornado, Atoy Co, Freddie Hubalde, Abet Guidaben and Bernie Fabiosa. Sobrang lakas nila sa bawat posisyon. These stars were the core that punished the Big J and co. Sila yung first grand slam team.

Elpidio Villamin, Bay Cristobal and Padim Israel kept the torch burning after these stars faded. They were also grand slam (read below) winners.

Photo credit: basketball-blitz.blogspot.com

Toyota was anchored by Robert Jaworski, Ramon Fernandez, Francis Arnaiz, Abe King and Arnie Tuadles -- the coño boys loved by the affluent crowd. Silang mga English-speaking players. Silang mga yayamanin!

The Robert Jaworski myth

I saw how The Big J conquered the basketball-crazy Filipinos' hearts with his awe-inspiring moves, his physical plays, his chronic cursing aimed at the refs (lip-read by everyone on national TV) and his very tight (parang Mighty Bond na wala pa nuon) guarding.

Tingin ko nga diyan eh isa siya sa mga nagtayo ng PBA -- remember na break away teams sila from MICAA. Bumaklas sila.

Photo credit: pinterest.com

He was loved by many and was the no. 1 enemy of the Crispa crowd, and understandably so. Bida-kontrabida kasi si Sonny. Good and bad. Sinner or saint. Yun ang mystique niya.

I remember this one particular play where a Mariwasa player (forgot the name) nudged him while he was laying up. Sinahod siya. Alanganin ang bagsak niya kaya he was injured. Me panginig-nginig pa siya while lying on the floor before the stretcher was laid out. It took awhile before he returned to basketball action after that incident.

Another unforgettable play was when the Phillippine national team played North Korea in the then ABC (Asian Basketball Confederation). In one of their scuffles, Jaworski landed on the hardcourt and was kicked in the butt by a Korean player. He naturally sold everything to the refs by flopping (hindi pa ganyan ang tawag nuon). Kunyari nasaktan siya...pagulung-gulong pa...

There's also this instance involving him and Big Boy Reynoso where they both took turns in punching the floored ref seen on national television that precipitated the league to ban him for good.

And after a few years...the ban was lifted...and Jaworski was permitted to play once more with a new team...that was Meralco.

Isa-isang pumasok mula sa dugout ang players nila sa court....at pinakahuli nga siya sa pila. Pandemonium broke loose, everyone in the arena stood up squealing and chanting his name: "Ja-wor-ski! Ja-wor-ski!" The fans missed him dreadfully...he is Philippine basketball after all...

Hanggang sa mga huling taon niya sa PBA with Barangay Ginebra, patuloy siyang hinangaan, tinangkilik at inidolo ng mga tao. Siya rin ang pinakamatandang player na naglaro dito (in his 40's). Inabutan pa nga niya si Dudut. Father and son even played together occasionally to the delight of the crowd.

Siya ang kauna-unahang coach na nagpauso ng "this is you". Yun bang meron siyang white board at may magnet yung mga maliliit niyang piyon (pawn) na isa-isa niyang ginagalaw para maintindihan ng players ang kanilang gagawin sa susunod na play. Presently, this is even used by PBA coaches.

Grand slam teams

 

The Crispa Redmanizers, through the guidance of coach Baby Dalupan, captured their first grand slam in 1976, followed by the Tommy Manotoc-led Crispa team in 1983 (powered by the Black Superman Billy Ray Bates).

Photo credits: interbasket@philnews.ph

Samboy Lim, Hector Calma, Yves Dignadice, Franz Pumaren, Alvin Teng and joined later on by Ramon Fernandez (4-time PBA MVP) and Allan Caidic, the Triggerman, that sowed fear in many Asian players in ABC, were the nucleus of the San Miguel Beer team that captured a rare grand slam in 1989. Norman Black coached that team.

Alaska -- powered by Johnny Abarrientos, Jeffrey Cariaso, Bong Hawkins, Jojo Lastimosa and Poch Juinio and coached by Tim Cone -- also had an elusive grand slam in 1996.

The San Mig Coffee team, anchored by the high-flying duo of Danny Ildefonso and Danny Siegle, captured the franchise's second grand slam in 2013. They were coached by Tim Cone.

Purefoods also dominated the 80's

Who could forget the movie star appeal of Alvin Patrimonio (another 4-time MVP) and the boyish smile of Jerry Codiñera? Not to forget Rey Evangelista, Glenn Capacio and Jojo Lastimosa...players that brought the PBA to new heights. 

Photo credit: pinterest.com

They also dominated the league by winning a sizeable amount of championships in their favor. Bukod pa sa pagdagsa ng mga babaeng fans sa venues. Remember na me rivalry rin nuon ang Ginebra-Purefoods.

Present San Mig gladiators

 

Photo credit: noel tonido@thebreakertimes.com

The present San Miguel Beermen stars June Mar Fajardo (5-time MVP (more will come) lang naman), Arwind Santos, Alex Cabagnot, Chris Ross, Marcio Lassiter, Christian Standhardinger (will he be traded to Magnolia?) and Terence Romeo are odds-on favorites to win the prestigious grand slam award having won the first two conferences this year, and with the uncanny stewardship of coach Leo Austria, nothing is impossible. Do not under-estimate their second unit comprised of Von Pessumal, Kelly Nabong and Matt Ganuelas-Rosser -- all three can start in any team...

Rewind: play by play broadcasters

Who could forget Dick Ildefonso -- the pioneering basketball announcer that paved the way for future sports commentators that followed in his footsteps. Klaro siyang magsalita... sosyal...

Photo credit: invidious.inhji.de

Joe Cantada, Pinggoy Pengson, Ronnie Nathanielsz, Ed Picson, Quinito Henson, Andy Jao, Noli Eala, Chino Trinidad, Anthony Suntay, Bill Velasco, Sev Sarmenta, Butch Maniego, Emy Arcilla -- all household names that brought the PBA to where it is today with their wit and candor...notwithstanding their incalculable knowledge of the game.

Current PBA teams

Photo credit: interaksyon.com

San Miguel Corp. presently owns three powerhouse teams in the league: San Miguel Beermen, Barangay Ginebra (LA Tenorio, Japeth Aguilar, Scottie Thompson, Stanley Pringle) and Magnolia Hotshots (Paul Lee, Mark Barroca, Ian Sangalang, Gio Jalalon). They dominate the league by winning championships left and right.

Not resting on its laurels are the Manny V. Pangilinan-owned Talk n Text Katropa (Jason Castro, RR Pogoy, Don Trollano, Troy Rosario), Meralco Bolts (Baser Amer, Cliff Hodge, Chris Newsome) and NLEX Road Warriors (Keifer Ravena, Poy Erram, JR Quiñahan).

The other teams like NorthPort Batang Pier, Blackwater Elite, Columbian Dyip, Phoenix Fuel Masters, with the exception of Rain or Shine Elasto Painters and Alaska Aces, barely make it to the second round of eliminations year in, year out, by lacking two or three marquee players in their line-ups.

My oh my...even the second unit of SMB will give them a dose of their own medicine. Ganun sila kalakas. Only RoS and Alaska among this group are crown contenders...

The future of PBA

Having the likes of Bobby Ray Parks Jr., CJ Perez, Robert Bolick -- all formidable rookie standouts -- surely keeps the games thrilling and fun to watch.

Photo credit: foxsports.ph

To keep the undivided attention of the audience going...the league must address its ceaseless problem: predictability.

Any basketball aficionado surely knows the result in any David and Goliath match up in advance by putting two and two together. Common sense lang. Examples: San Miguel vs. Columbian Dyip or Ginebra vs. NorthPort. Pag tambak na nga ang score at patapos na ang laban...mapapansin ninyong pinapahabol ng malalakas na teams yung mahihina para hindi antukin ang mga tao sa venue. Point shaving baga...nagpaparaya si Kuya madalas. Pero sila pa rin ang palaging wagi.

Wishful thinking

Anyone knows that "height is might" in basketball. Wala tayong laban sa malalaki at mabibilis na players sa FIBA, isama pa natin ang Olympics. Kung payagan siguro tayong kumuha ng tatlong malalaking imports...pwede pa. Ang solusyon?

Kung magkakaroon lang sana ng height requirement sa basketball -- yun bang pag maliliit ang players eh dapat dun sila sa bracket na puro kagaya nilang maliliit din ang naglalaro. Parang second league. Like in boxing, di ba? Weight limit dapat. Let's face it, undersized tayo kaya palaging talo. Magiging llamado tayo pag naging ganyan ang playing field.

Why we love this game soooo much

Simula nung pinakilala sa atin ng mga Kano ang larong ito...agad tayong nahumaling dito kahit pa sabihing kapos tayo sa height para dito.

Matatandaang ang US ang nag-imbento ng larong ito. Sila rin ang No. 1 seed sa buong mundo. Pero sa FIBA World Cup sa China...mukhang malabo silang manalo. Hindi maglalaro yung mga big-name NBA stars (Lebron James, Steph Curry, Kevin Durant, Anthony Davis) nila.

Photo credit: jaydirecto@coconuts.co

Manghang-mangha ang mga dayuhan sa atin dahil nakakakita sila ng basketball board kung saan-saan: nakapako sa coconut tree o sa anumang puno, sa gilid ng bahay, sa busy street, sa bakuran, sa riles ng tren, sa firewall at kung saan-saan pa. 

Photo credit: aaronfavila/AP@blog.newscred.com

Mapabata man o binatilyo -- mayaman man o mahirap -- umulan man o umaraw -- nakatsinelas man (branded snix for the rich) o nakatapak ...isama na natin yung mga nakatatanda (yung mga malalaki na ang tiyan, lagas na ang buhok (like me👴) at madali nang hingalin) -- it is here to stay. 

Mabuhay ang basketball!