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DPWH inspecting structural damage done after Blue Eagles 4-peat.

Spoelstra in the Philippines
By Rafe Bartholomew
POSTED SEPTEMBER 28, 2011
http://www.grantland.com/story/_/id/7028101/spoelstra-philippines

Somewhere north of the U.S. Embassy in Manila the white charter bus carrying Miami Heat coach Erik Spoelstra made a wrong turn. The group, which included Spoelstra, two NBA employees, a handful of bodyguards, and a driver, was headed toward Torres High School, where Spoelstra planned to lead a basketball clinic. For now, however, they found themselves crawling through the cramped alleyways of Tondo, the most densely packed district of the world's most densely populated city, where more than 600,000 people scrape out a living in three square miles along the banks of Manila Bay. While the panicked driver jabbered into his cell phone about a missed stoplight, Spoelstra and company stared through the windows at Manila street life: pedicabs zipping around the lumbering bus; children being bathed in plastic basins along the sidewalk; and freelance trash collectors pushing wooden wheelbarrows, beseeching anyone in earshot to donate "diyaryo't bote" — newspapers and bottles. Block after block, the coach saw homemade basketball hoops, some with rims bent out of repurposed rebar and others with plywood bed frames serving as backboards, hanging over street corners and tucked away in narrow walkways. The game was everywhere.

A couple of miles away, another bus sat parked in a courtyard within Torres High School. Inside were Heat assistant coaches David Fizdale and Chad Kammerer, two NBA Asia employees, and Spoelstra's sister, Monica Spoelstra Metz. Outside the van were more than a thousand restless teenagers eager to see the NBA's only half-Filipino head coach. Actually, the students were excited to see pretty much anyone foreign. I made it three steps past the school's gates when a swarm of young girls and boys spotted me and started shrieking. A few kids screamed "Younghusband!" — a reference to Phil Younghusband, the Filipino-British star of the men's national soccer team who dates a famous actress and appears topless on canned-tuna billboards. No one actually believed I was Younghusband; they only meant that I looked foreign enough to be someone worth squealing over, that I must have come from somewhere far away from Tondo. And they were right — I had arrived earlier that morning on a Philippine Airlines flight from Los Angeles. I had dropped in on the middle of Spoelstra's weeklong trip to the country, and would be spending the next four days following him around to basketball clinics, mall appearances, and family gatherings. Unlike Spoelstra, I don't have any Philippine heritage, but the visit was homecoming for me, too. I spent three years in the Philippines, starting in 2005, to learn about the country's love for basketball, and the opportunity to watch Spoelstra interact with local fans and connect with his roots felt like a logical extension of that work.

That morning, I walked to Torres from an elevated train stop near Manila's Chinese cemetery. It was an uncharacteristically balmy stroll for August, which is the heart of the Philippine rainy season, and along the way I stayed cool by drinking Cobra, an electric-chartreuse energy drink. The neon beverage, which was poured into a plastic bag so the bottle could be returned to the brewery and refilled, contains roughly the same ingredients as Red Bull, but in such concentrated amounts that each sip from my straw seemed to add three to five beats per minute to my heart rate. A block from the school, a hearse drove by me, blasting what sounded like an '80s Peter Cetera ballad. The name JHEREMIAH was stenciled in the window in yellow bubble letters, and I wondered if Jheremiah was the name of the undertaker's son or the deceased. My guess: the former. This, among other things, is what I love about the Philippines. The country keeps you guessing, and I hoped that somehow, in the midst of a stage-managed NBA tour or Manila, I'd get a chance to see Spoelstra interact with this side of the country.

Inside Torres I made it through the gauntlet of screeching teens and boarded the NBA bus. A few hundred teens stood around it. A few knocked on the windows to make the passengers turn and smile for cell phone pictures. More students joined them, and before long all those little fists had the bus rocking. That's when a phone call came through to announce that Spoelstra's bus had lost its way and would arrive 20 minutes late.

Spoelstra's trip to Manila was part of the NBA FIT program, the league's initiative to promote healthy lifestyles, and his visit to Torres was cosponsored by the Philippine Department of Health. Until the coach arrived, however, the students would have to settle for his assistants. As it turned out, this was not a problem. When Fizdale and Kammerer stepped down from the bus, a crowd of schoolgirls in uniform orange blouses and ankle-length maroon skirts erupted in applause, cheers, and shrieks. For two bald, bench-bellied assistant coaches in their late 30s and early 40s, this was an unusual response. They walked to the basketball court, where about 50 students wearing gym pants and gray NBA Cares T-shirts waited under the shade of an aluminum roof. A cordon of teachers encircled the court and shooed away students who tried to rush in for autographs.

The initial frenzy wore off just as Spoelstra arrived. The coach said a word of thanks and swiftly began coaching. "Stance!" he shouted, and the kids bent their knees and stretched their arms in a defensive position. "Good!" Then a five-second pause. "Up!" The pattern — "Stance! Good! Up!" — continued for five minutes. A few of the students looked up; their black bangs were sweat-plastered to their foreheads and a hint of panic was in their eyes. Usually, these visits from basketball royalty involve little more than high-fives, layup lines, and pats on the back. NBA Asia's Ed Winkle crept behind me and whispered in my ear, "Once he gets going, I don't think he can differentiate between these kids and his players."

"I can do this all day!" boasted Spoelstra. His wave of black hair was starting to glisten with sweat and his shirt clung to a wet spot on his lower back. Luckily — for the students — the NBA had a schedule to keep. After a half hour of drills, Spoelstra and his assistants joined school administrators, a Manila city councilman, and higher-ups from the departments of health and education on a stage next to the court. The benefits of exercise, dedication, and public service were extolled; the Filipino speakers said "thank you" and the Americans said "maraming salamat"; and as many hundreds of students as could fit into a wide-angle camera shot were invited to pose with Spoelstra.

After the group photo the students were given the green light to pursue any autograph or cell phone picture they desired, and in a matter of seconds bedlam ruled the courtyard. Spoelstra was hustled away to a classroom for a press conference, but Fizdale and Kammerer were left in the scrum. A horde of teenagers surrounded each coach and presented spiral notebooks, sweaty handkerchiefs, and assorted limbs for them to sign. When Kammerer tried to sign a notebook, another student placed his notebook above the other one, and when Kammerer tried to sign that notebook, another kid jammed his forearm between the page and Kammerer's pen. This went on for at least 20 minutes, until the coaches were summoned to the bus. It was noon already, and they had to get to another clinic. Away from the mob, Fizdale said: "I don't think I've ever felt swarmed like that. I think I signed some kids' heads."

Spoelstra, whose mother hails from San Pablo, a midsize city about two hours south of Manila in Laguna province, has traveled to the Philippines in each of the past three summers. Every time he visits he promises basketball fans, fawning reporters, and his extended family that he will return the next year. Every time he does, the reception he receives — from media and everyday fans — gets warmer. This is largely due to Spoelstra's commitment to the country, but also to the fact that since July 2010 and "The Decision" the Miami Heat have gone from being Eastern Conference noncontenders to NBA finalists and the league's most scrutinized team. In a hoops-mad nation like the Philippines, people take enormous pride in seeing one of their own as head coach of not just any NBA franchise, but the team whose uniforms LeBron James and Dwyane Wade wear.1

Winkle, the NBA Asia official who has accompanied Spoelstra during each of his visits, said things were pretty low-key back in 2009. The coach could walk through a crowded mall and hardly be noticed by other shoppers. Times have changed. The day before I arrived in August, President Noynoy Aquino made time to host Spoelstra at the Malacañang Palace, where he briefed the coach on his plan to grow the Philippine economy. And later in the week, when Spoelstra had an appearance at the SM Mall of Asia, hundreds of fans lined up just to shake his hand and ask him to sign a T-shirt.

Spoelstra spent two of his afternoons during this year's trip at the Mall of Asia's activity center, an open-air atrium looking out on Manila Bay. The NBA lined up an array of demonstrations and workshops, all highlighting exercise and proper nutrition under the NBA FIT banner. When called upon, Spoelstra dutifully extolled the virtues of eating right and regular exercise. NBA FIT's cause was a worthy one, and especially necessary in the Philippines, where a typical diet might consist of little more than white rice and pork or — if you're on a budget — white rice and canned sardines. Close to 12 million Filipinos suffer from high blood pressure, and local pharmacies sell glucose-regulating dietary supplements in designated areas called "Diabetics Corner." Among the several hundred mall-goers who stopped to watch Spoelstra, dozens probably would do well to heed the NBA's advice — "go for a jog; eat a salad" — but it was easy to see how that message could get lost amidst the slate of restaurants surrounding the activity center. They included fast-food staples such as Burger King, Chowking, and Jollibee; Dennis the Grill Boy, whose window signage promised UNLIMITED RICE; a pork-rind emporium called Guby's Chicharon Espesyal;2 and the Spam Jam kiosk.

Spoelstra may not be able to single-handedly save the Philippines from its love of fried pork fat, but he certainly managed to connect with his heritage and Filipinos' affection for basketball. Toward the end of the Mall of Asia event, he delivered a version of the spiel he closed almost all of his appearances with: "Remember, there is nothing better than being here in this open air with this ball and this basket. That's life right there. Respect this game, and it will respect you back." Coming from almost anyone else, that line might ring false — just another boilerplate-gilded sports cliché. But coming from the mouth of an NBA head coach, and hearing it in the Philippines, where millions of people really do plan their days around afternoon pickup games, neighborhood tournaments, and broadcasts of the local college league, it sounded simply golden. Throughout the mall people stopped chattering, pocketed their cell phones, and nodded along with Spoelstra's words.

Back in 2009, Spoelstra was anxious about visiting the country. The last time he had set foot on Philippine soil, he was 3 years old — "You were carrying a Snoopy," his sister quipped during one breakfast in Manila. He had been born in the States and raised in Portland, Ore., where his father worked in the Trail Blazers' front office. Spoelstra had long wanted to return to the Philippines, but he never found the right opportunity to schedule a trip during the 1990s and early 2000s, when he was clawing his way up the Heat's organizational chart, from the video-coordinator's "dungeon" to the coaches' bench. When he finally made it back, he didn't know what to expect. "Coming from an American background, I didn't know how I was going to be received," Spoelstra said. "I didn't know if anybody would know who I was."

Growing up in Portland, Spoelstra didn't have many opportunities to connect with his Asian heritage. The city is almost three-quarters Caucasian, and 30 years ago it was even whiter. Only one of Spoelstra's childhood friends was Filipino. Since his father is American, his parents spoke in English, and for the most part he only heard Tagalog when his mother called her relatives. His family's consumption of Philippine cuisine was limited to staple dishes such as chicken adobo and sacks of frozen lumpia shanghai — little pork- and beef-filled spring rolls the size of stubby fingers. While Spoelstra has always felt aware of his ethnic background, he has spent most of his life expecting others to be stumped by his dark skin and Dutch surname. "Back home the majority of people just have no clue what I am," Spoelsta told me one morning in Manila.

Since his mother didn't like flying, the Spoelstras never made another family trip to Laguna after that first visit in the early '70s. Over the years, Spoelstra didn't devote too much effort to engaging with his Laguna roots. Since childhood, the core of his identity has been basketball, and that probably won't ever change. But he said his mother imparted Filipino values to him, and his trips to the country since 2009 have confirmed that, along with the understanding that being pathologically devoted to hoops is as sure a sign as any that Spoelstra is in touch with his Filipino side.

It shouldn't be too surprising, then, that much of Spoelstra's exposure to the Philippines during high school and college came through basketball. During his years as the University of Portland's starting point guard,3 the motherland had a way of creeping into discussions about Spoelstra's basketball career. "When you're a kid in high school your dream is to play in the NBA," he said. "And then from there, you're like, 'OK, where else can I play?'" For a while, the Philippine Basketball Association seemed like the answer. Spoelstra's relatives in Laguna would send videos of local playoff games, which in that era meant smoke-filled arenas packed to the rafters with near-delirious fans and an occasional hailstorm of one-peso coins when a referee missed a call. Jim Kelly, a Toronto Raptors scout who had worked in Manila as a consultant to PBA teams and remained in touch with local coaches, tried to arrange for Spoelstra to play in Manila after Spoelstra finished his college career in 1992.

"When Jim first talked to me, he was like, 'This can happen, I can get you in,'" Spoelstra said. "I was fired up." In Spoelstra, Kelly saw a 6-foot-3 point guard with a Division I pedigree and the size to play anywhere but center in the Philippine league. "He was multipositional," Kelly recalled. "Over there he could have even been a big guy. But more than that, he was a thinking-man's player. Probably big on heart, a little bit less on skill, and that's why he's a good coach." If Spoelstra's hypothetical PBA career went anything like that of Ricardo Brown, another Filipino-American point guard from the West Coast Conference who played in the PBA throughout the 1980s, Spoelstra might have ended up listed alongside Brown with the 25 greatest players in league history.

Instead, Spoelstra signed to play with a second-tier German team and then joined the Heat in 1995 as video coordinator. The plan to play in the Philippines fell through when he heard he might have to spend a season in the minor leagues while waiting to receive dual citizenship instead of going straight to the PBA. "It got delayed, and I never got an affirmative answer," Spoelstra said. "I couldn't just get drafted from the States. There was some kind of plan, but it sounded really shady, so I ended up playing for peanuts in front of 500 people in Germany. Looking back on it, it was a crazy decision."

Since 2009, Spoelstra has been making up for the years he never got to spend in the Philippines. If he was initially worried about how people would receive him, he's grown more comfortable with each successive visit. "I don't think he really felt Filipino until he went there," said Fizdale, who has accompanied Spoelstra on all three trips. "Then he got to the country and saw his upbringing reflected in everything."

That process started with a clinic in Zamboanga City, a regional hub in the Philippines' far south, closer to Malaysia than Manila and a frequent battleground in the ongoing armed conflict between the Philippine government and Muslim separatists. "ZAMBOANGA CITY" is the dateline you see when bombs explode in a public market or a couple of Westerners get kidnapped; it is not typically the first place sports luminaries are brought when they visit the Philippines. But the 2009 tour was sponsored by the U.S. Department of State, which is always keen to send something other than military aid to Southern Mindanao, so Spoelstra and his assistants were enlisted as basketball envoys to win some hearts and minds.

While driving from the Zamboanga City airport to a local gym, the coaches didn't spot any Kalashnikov-waving guerrillas. Instead, Spoelstra said they passed scenes of semirural poverty — grains of rice spread out to dry along the side of the road, children lounging in the shade of modest bamboo or cinder-block homes, a family of six or seven riding a single motorcycle with the youngest draped over the handlebars. "Everybody on the bus was just really quiet," Spoelstra said. "It seemed like we were driving through a baryo. I couldn't believe we were actually going to a gym." He also saw the role basketball played in people's lives. "Every little alley had some crazy basket hung up on a telephone poll and made out of a garbage can and you saw kids playing barefoot, like a basketball oasis," Spoelstra said. Despite the Spartan living conditions and the fact that the people of Zamboanga City inhabited a region that occasionally turned into a war zone, Spoelstra responded not with pity or fear but inspiration at finding a nation of people who shared his ethnic heritage and passion for the game. "For basketball enthusiasts, it's a dreamland," Spoelstra said. "There's no place like this in the world."

When they arrived at the gym, they found an entire neighborhood gathered inside — not just the players slated to participate in the clinic, but also their younger siblings, mothers, fathers, uncles, and grandmothers. Security guards holding machine guns and assault rifles surrounded the court and guarded the doors. About 200 kids and teenagers stood on a single full court. As Fizdale remembered it, some wore basketball sneakers, some had on dress shoes, many sported flip-flops, and others were barefoot. All were ready to play, but the clinic's organizers brought only a handful of basketballs (Spoelstra recalled four and Fizdale said two). To make the coaches' job even more challenging, many of the young Zamboangueños spoke very little English and not even that much Tagalog, the Manila-centric basis for the Philippines' national language. The predominant language in Zamboanga is Chavacano, a kind of Spanish Creole, so Spoelstra and his assistants ended up developing a crude hoops sign language and relying on jump-stop-pivot drills and defensive slides to occupy the throng of players.

"The kids picked things up just by watching," Spoelstra said. "We would demonstrate and they would just mimic it right away with such athleticism and coordination. It was incredible." After the workout the players sat down for a question-and-answer session. "We were like, 'Come on, they don't speak English. What are they gonna ask?'" Spoelstra said. Then, with help from a Chavacano interpreter, the kids started rattling off questions about Dwyane Wade's contract situation heading into the 2009-10 season and answering trivia questions about Bill Russell's career. "That blew us away," Fizdale said. "When you realize that these kids have nothing and they live in these circumstances and they still know Dwyane Wade's scoring average over the last three years? That's how we could tell what a big deal hoops was."

Here's Spoelstra, toward the end of August's trip to Manila, during a clinic he conducted for Filipino coaches: "We have a player on our team — very successful guy. You can probably guess who he is. He has been with us since his rookie year. He's a very physical player."

He was, of course, describing Dwyane Wade, but due to the ongoing NBA lockout he was forbidden (along with all other league employees) from making any public utterances of the players' names. The purpose of the workshop was for Spoelstra to transfer his world-class expertise to a few hundred local coaches, who represented teams from the elementary school through professional levels. That goal, however, was sidetracked every time Spoelstra tried to talk around a player's name because hundreds of Filipino coaches would murmur it aloud and then break out in laughter. This was not the only lockout-related inconvenience Spoelstra encountered. Earlier in the week he attended a PBA playoff game, but instead of sitting in the courtside seats any team would have happily provided him, lockout regulations required him to buy tickets. Since he visited during the semifinals, however, the floor seats were sold out and Spoelstra watched from a lower mezzanine area of the Araneta Coliseum.

Tim Cone, an American who was raised in the Philippines and has been a PBA coach since 1989, was impressed at the level of detail in Spoelstra's teaching. As hoops-mad as the country is, Philippine youth coaches often rely more on drill-sergeant motivational speeches than X's and O's or basketball fundamentals. (Then again, so do most American high school coaches.) But Spoelstra gave meticulous instructions to the players demonstrating pick-and-roll scenarios for the coaches — how the screener should angle his body to keep the defender from going under the screen; how the ball handler should throw only lobs or bounce passes to his rolling teammate; how the screener should roll to an open space on the floor rather than plowing blindly toward the rim (and help defenders). But Cone said the real value of Spoelstra's clinic wasn't in helping the coaches brush up on fundamentals: "Just being able to get close to a guy of that level is an inspiration. I remember when I went to Laker practices, I came back and felt so eager to coach and come up with new things. Those guys are all going to go back to their teams and be at a whole new level."

Cone said Spoelstra is unlike any other NBA coach he has met. "The thing that amazes me is the amount of personal time he gives to everybody. I'm absolutely a nobody to talk to, and he really listens to what I say. I don't think of him as being Erik Spoelstra, head coach of the Miami Heat. I actually feel like he's a friend — like I can pick up the phone and say, 'Hey, Erik! How ya doin'? Let's go out!' and he would do it. Obviously, he wouldn't, but he makes you feel that way."

The Spoelstra charm was on display throughout his week in Manila, and not just among his fellow basketball coaches. During one mall appearance, Spoelstra volunteered to hold a female fan's digital camera out so he could squish into a self-shot with her — his longer arms could give the photo a better angle. At his hotel's brunch buffet Spoelstra temporarily put off filling his plate with sushi to take pictures with a waiter, who passed the coach's plate to a busboy so it wouldn't mar the shot. Then the busboy wanted to get in the frame, so he passed the plate to a chef for another snapshot. Next, the chef passed the plate to a hostess so he, too, could get a photograph. Before long, Spoelstra was standing with about six hotel employees, his smiling face and plain, yellow polo shirt in the middle of a burst of purple and turquoise restaurant uniforms and chef's toques. Once everyone's photo request had been indulged, Spoelstra's plate made its way back to him.

It was a side of Spoelstra NBA fans rarely get to see. Around the league and within the Heat organization, he's known as a workaholic — the seemingly ego-less, forever self-effacing, painstakingly professional head coach who survived Season 1 of the LeBron James-Dwyane Wade-Chris Bosh era, presumably by bunkering down in the Heat video room. Earlier this year, in the definitive account of Spoelstra's career, Wade told Kevin Arnovitz: "He's like Batman. He goes into his cave. Nobody sees him." Fizdale has seen the difference between Miami Spoelstra and Manila Spoelstra: "It's like a weight is lifted off of him. In Manila, he loves going out.4 He loves meeting people, and here [in Miami] he don't wanna go anywhere. In Manila, people don't ever want him to get fired."

But there's more to the way Spoelstra transforms when he visits the Philippines. It's not simply a weeklong escape from the news cycle. The coach truly seems at home in the country, even if he has spent only three weeks there over the past 37 years. Aspects of Philippine life that other American visitors might find disturbing seem to fascinate Spoelstra. Where many foreigners look at Manila's poverty and see nothing but despair, Spoelstra was moved by the ingenious ways Filipinos found to bring joy (and basketball) into the most difficult living situations. This is not to sugarcoat the country's problems, but to recognize that the poor still lead dignified lives despite circumstances that might break someone raised among American middle-class comforts.

On one bus ride from his hotel to a Mall of Asia appearance, Spoelstra peppered me with questions. He seemed almost hungry to understand what it was like to live in Manila, to experience the city's chaotic side that his hosts wouldn't dare show him. How did you get around while you lived there? Trains and jeepneys, mostly. How do you know where the jeepney stops, and how do you get off of it? It stops wherever you flag it down, and you get off by shouting "Para!" or plinking your finger on the roof. How did people respond to seeing a 6-3 white guy wandering around their neighborhood? Often by inviting me into a basketball game. What was it like to play street games? Free-flowing and fun, until one team reaches "warning," the point before game point; after that, the ratio of bruises to made baskets soars. What did you play for? Everything from five-peso coins to the right to have the losers crawl between my legs to plastic baggies filled with ice water. You drank unfiltered water? Yes, and never had any problems, although I did lose sleep over a couple of memorably murky glasses. So you didn't get sick? Well, I did have hookworm for about a month, but that doesn't come from drinking water. What was it like? Unless you're into scat, you don't wanna know.

One look at Manila's helter-skelter traffic — thousands of cars moving together with a strikingly effective disregard for the rules of the road — is usually enough to make a Westerner decide never to drive in the Philippines. Spoelstra, however, seemed delighted by the country's daredevil motorists. While riding to clinics in the NBA bus, he would break off in midconversation to comment on action in the street. "Look at this guy," he said with an awed lilt when a pedicab driver cut across four lanes of approaching cars to pick up a fare. When the group's bus driver, Niño, passed a gridlocked row of about 70 cars, then edged into line inches before the highway split off in another direction, Spoelstra shouted "Power move!" then started a slow clap and "Ni-ño! Ni-ño!" chant to honor the maneuver.

Spoelstra's interactions with fans, media, and coaches in Manila smack of qualities so classically Filipino that they're included in just about every Culture Shock! and Lonely Planet guide to the country — utang na loob and pakikisama. The former means "debt of gratitude," and Spoelstra shows it by returning to the country year after year to share his love and knowledge of basketball. The latter means "fellowship" but is a little more complicated; it's the art of getting along with people. From the way Spoelstra makes everyone from multititled basketball coaches to the chef at the hotel omelette station feel comfortable around him, the coach seems to have mastered pakikisama. If questions remained about how Spoelstra's character reflected his heritage, this answered them.

Another way to excel at pakikisama is to submit to ritual acts of lighthearted humiliation. This is especially true of visitors and powerful people who might conceivably demur when asked to do something like sing Air Supply at a karaoke party. Former U.S. Ambassador to the Philippines Kristie Kenney, for example, endeared herself to the country in 2007 by performing the "Papaya dance" on national television.5 Gestures like this send a powerful message: Yes, I could refuse to be silly, but I won't because I don't think I'm better than anyone else. Spoelstra's moment came on the day of the coaching clinic. First, he allowed Chris Watts, a fitness guru who looked like a cross between Richard Simmons and a Fraggle, to hijack 20 minutes of the coaching clinic with a stretching demo that included the cheerful instruction, "Start with a heel in the bum!" Later, Spoelstra participated in a fitness challenge for local television, a ho-hum affair in the dead hours of the afternoon that required him to lead Fizdale and the other NBA visitors through a timed obstacle course against groups of mildly bored Filipino celebrities. It's almost impossible to imagine another NBA coach — let's say George Karl — dribbling through cones and doing defensive slides as part of some fairly lame PR event. Yet Spoelstra did it without hesitation, and his presence had an obvious effect on the other participants, who saw his enthusiasm and immediately perked up. After all, if the coach of the Miami Heat didn't think he was too good for the event, how could anyone else presume to be above it? That would be bad pakikisama.

Each time Spoelstra has come back to the Philippines, the highlight of his return has been a trip to his uncle's home in Los Baños, Laguna. This year the family gathering was especially sweet because Spoelstra brought his sister, Monica, who hadn't been to the country in 37 years. Tony Celino — the family calls him "Uncle Tony" — had a career in the Philippine government, working as a regional director for the National Food Authority. He moved with his family to Wisconsin in the early 1990s, then retired to the Philippines with his wife shortly before Spoelstra's first homecoming in 2009. Each year, Uncle Tony hosts a reception to welcome Spoelstra.

At previous parties, the whole neighborhood seemed to show up to greet the coach, but this year's gathering was limited to friends and family. Of course, the head count still clocked in somewhere between 50 and 100 guests, and Uncle Tony laid out a feast. Servers in white uniforms dished out lechon — roast suckling pig — from trays on red-tableclothed tables. Coolers of San Miguel beer were continually refilled. Two separate tarpaulins had been printed with welcome messages for the occasion. Around the corner, near the bathrooms and Uncle Tony's pool and natural hot-spring Jacuzzi, was a similar banner from one of Spoelstra's previous visits. This one read COACH SPO FOR PRESIDENT. Spoelstra's relatives at the party all wore custom shirts that contained a well-meaning if slightly awkward acrostic tribute to the guest of honor:

Coach
So
Proud
Of You!

Spoelstra changed into a T-shirt of similar vintage that read "AKO PO SI COACH SPO" — I'm Coach Spo. For entertainment, Uncle Tony hired a local DJ to play an assortment of slow jams from a portable sound system. Every 30 minutes or so a 12-year-old boy named Renz would stand on the steps in front of the house and serenade the crowd. He sang in a gorgeous, powerful soprano, but his choice of songs — Celine Dion-inspired renditions of "All By Myself" and "The Power of Love" — led to the exchange of a few awkward glances between the Heat assistants and NBA staff. His tender cooing of the line "making love was just for fun" caused a small riot.

But a Filipino crowd is hardly ever deterred in its love of ballads. As the night wore on, the DJ cranked through "Careless Whisper," "You Are Not Alone," and ever more Air Supply. A rare change of pace came after a speech from Spoelstra, who talked about what it meant for him to bring Monica back to the Philippines and get reacquainted with family members they haven't seen in more than 30 years. After some heartfelt applause, the opening bars of the Space Jam theme song throbbed through the sticky, tropical air. Spoelstra wandered from group to group with his hat turned backwards, greeting cousins, signing shirts, and posing for pictures, hardly ever stopping except for when he pulled out a cell phone to record his aunt and uncle slow-dancing to the Aerosmith song from Armageddon.

At some point in the evening, one of the cousins unveiled a six-liter water bottle that had been refilled with lambanog, a local coconut wine that had probably been brewed in someone's backyard. Spoelstra and the other guests marveled at the tub of rust-colored hooch and took turns posing with it. When it was passed to Spoelstra, the coach held the jug above his head with two hands, much like he might have held the Larry O'Brien trophy if the Heat had won the Finals. Earlier that night he promised to bring the trophy to the Philippines in the not-too-distant future. For now, he could hold only the lambanog, but that, too, marked a kind of achievement. Over the past three years, Spoelstra has revisited his Philippine roots, and through basketball he has managed to forge a lifelong bond with the country. Thanks to that, if Spoelstra ever does bring the NBA championship trophy to the Philippines, when he hoists it in Uncle Tony's backyard it will be an honor that he truly shares with his people.

ab journalism ka ba o broad comm? galing mo magsulat, tyinagaan mo talaga

Kailangan siguro matrain din how to cope sa mental pressure ang PHL5.

ab journalism ka ba o broad comm? galing mo magsulat, tyinagaan mo talaga

Si Rafe Bartholomew yung nagsulat ng article.

WOMEN'S BASKETBALL INVITATIONAL TOURNAMENT PARTICIPATED BY CHINA, THAILAND, QATAR, AND HOST PHILIPPINES
Bacolod City, Negros Occidental l September 30, 2011


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(from Bacolod main thread)[/CENTER]

ganda ng laro ng SBC vs SSC kanina ah! imba si gabo. si amer din idol!

Energen Phl scouts powerhouse China, Iran
By Joey Villar (The Philippine Star) Updated October 18, 2011 12:00 AM


NHA TRANG CITY, Vietnam – Assured of a spot in the second round, Energen Pilipinas hopes to use its opening day bye to assess the strength of the opposition, particularly title favorites China and Iran, as the second FIBA-Asia Under-16 Championship unwraps today at the Khanh Hoa Sports Center here.

The Nationals drew a favorable bracket with host Vietnam and Indonesia with all three gaining automatic berths in the next round. The three other groups have four teams each with the top three advancing in the 11-day tournament offering a slot in the 2012 FIBA World U-17 Championship set June 29-July 8 in Kaunas, Lithuania.

“The competition is hard to scout especially in Under-16 teams since they don’t really join too many tournaments. But because of our schedule, we’ll be able to scout other opponents,” said coach Olsen Racela.

Focus will be on China’s 15-year-old 7-2 center Zhou Qi and India’s 14-year-old 7-1 Old Satnam Singh Bhamara as the Chinese and the Iranians collide in the main game of a seven-game bill at 10 p.m. (Phl time).

“We’ve seen in the Internet the 7-2 center from China and the 7-1 player from India and now we’ll get a chance to see them play tomorrow (today),” Racela said.

Racela, who steered Team Phl to a title sweep in the Southeast Asian Basketball Association U-16 Championship last August in Malaysia with a winning margin of 38 points, said they have played taller, bigger college teams back home to underscore their readiness for the tournament, which features the best youth teams in the region.

“We’ve played college teams in the past month, including National U’s second team, which has 6-7 African players taking up residency,” said Racela. “It’s a good simulation for us because we know we’ll be facing taller teams here like China and India.

“Although we’re smaller, we’ll use our quickness and outside shooting to offset our height disadvantage,” said Racela.

The Filipinos kick off their campaign against the Indonesians at 8 p.m. (Phl time) tomorrow and then play the Vietnamese at 8 p.m. on Thursday.

In the next round, the Filipinos will face three of the four teams in Group C comprising of Iran, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Japan, needing at least one win to barge into the quarterfinal round where they will be pitted against either one of the top teams in Groups A and B.

Group A is composed of defending champion China, India, Malaysia and Chinese Taipei while Group B is made up of South Korea, Uzbekistan, Iraq and Lebanon.

The Day One pairings pit Saudi vs Japan, Uzbekistan vs Lebanon, Malaysia vs Taipei, Vietnam vs Indonesia, Iran vs Qatar, Korea vs Iraq before the China-India showdown.

The Nationals will be missing the services of San Beda’s Arvin Tolentino, Gideon Babilonia and Radge Tongco and La Salle-Greenhills’ Gelo Vito, who all failed to join the squad owing to their previous commitment with their respective schools in the current NCAA season.

SEABA veterans Henry Asilum of Sacred Heart-Cebu, NU’s Hubert Cani, San Beda’s Rev Diputado, Xavier’s Kyles Lao and Reedley’s Jay Javelosa, Malayan’s J-Jay Alejandro, Victory’s Nic Dalafu, San Beda’s Andrei Caracut, Ateneo’s Tomas Ramos, NU’s Prince Rivero and Xavier’s Isaac Go banner the cast that includes Fil-Aussie Jordan Heading.

Ateneo’s Earl Murphy and Arellano U’s Daryl Pascual are the team’s reserves.

http://www.philstar.com/sportsarticle.aspx?publicationsubcategoryid=69&articleid=738592&keyword=sp_pba

China, India to field 7-footers
By JONAS TERRADOOctober 18, 2011, 2:30am


NHA TRANG, Vietnam — Members of the Energen Pilipinas U-16 team get the chance to see and gauge their rivals Tuesday as the FIBA Asia U-16 Championship kicks off at the Khanh Hoa Sports Center here.

The Nationals will not be a part of a seven-game schedule that will kick off the 11-day, 15-nation cagefest but the last match of the day promises to be a highly-anticipated one as China battles India – which boast of seven-foot players.

China, the reigning champion, will field in 7-foot-2 beanpole Zhou Qi against India's 7-foot-2 Satnam Singh Bhamara in the last game at 9 p.m. (10 p.m. Manila time).

Zhou is trumpeted as the next Yao Ming after toying Germany with 41 points, 28 rebounds and 15 blocks in a tournament held earlier this year in Turkey.

Based on some YouTube clips, the 16-year old Zhou has been a terror on the defensive stop even blocking outside shots of the opponents while displaying solid shooting touch from the perimeter and low post moves.

On the other hand, Satnam is only 15 years old but he actually played for India in the recent FIBA Asia Championship in Wuhan, China where it finished 14th out of 16 teams. He had 28 points against Sri Lanka for the U-16 team in a qualifier for this youth tourney.

Satnam, who dreams of playing in the NBA someday, even attended a camp in the United States where he showed some scouts his promising ability.

PH coach Olsen Racela was personally awed at the Chinese team during a chance encounter at the Olympic Hotel where both squads are billeted but they will have a chance to scout them along with the other teams.

"It's hard to scout the other U-16 teams because they rarely join tournaments kaya di pa namin talaga alam," said Racela. "But because of the schedule, maganda para sa amin because we will be able to scout the opponents."

The Nationals are bracketed in Group D alongside neighbors Indonesia and host Vietnam, a first timer in this event. No one will be eliminated from this group but winning now will play a big factor in their bid to enter the next round.

After the preliminary round, they will join the top three squads of Group C in the second round with their win-loss records to be carried over. The other pairing is comprised of Iran, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and Japan.

China heads Group A alongside India, Malaysia and Chinese Taipei while Group B is composed of South Korea, Lebanon, Uzbekistan and Iraq, which are reportedly tapping two cagers standing 6-foot-5.

The Filipinos, who practiced Sunday night at an outdoor court and late yesterday afternoon, debut tomorrow against Indonesia, a team they beat by 63 points in the SEABA U-16 tourney held last August in Banting City, Malaysia

http://www.mb.com.ph/articles/338094/china-india-field-7footers

^^any televised coverage?

Ang hindi ko maintindihan, paano nagkaroon ang China at India ng mga teenager na 7 footer? :nuts:

^^
Lahi kasi nila ang matatangkad. :lol:

^^any televised coverage?

i guess there's no tv coverage ..

live updates for PHL v. IND game
http://www.fibalivestats.com/matches/4142/04/21/01/66eTJsD1uZH/

Ang hindi ko maintindihan, paano nagkaroon ang China at India ng mga teenager na 7 footer? :nuts:

Rapid Population and Rapid Growth :cheers:

FIBA ASIA U16

PHL - 56

IND - 13 HT

Wow...

Let's face it, hanggang dito na lang tayo sa SEA makakapag-dominate.....

FIBA ASIA U16

PHL - 56

IND - 13 HT

Wow...

^^
Panalo Philippines laban sa Indonesia, 93-30. :banana::banana::banana:

When is the game between Philippines and Vietnam?

^^
Mamaya, 8 pm.

Opening Ceremony -- 2nd FIBA Asia U16 Championship
in PHOTOS (http://www.fibaasia.net/FIBA_Asia_AlbumPhotos.aspx?alb=149)

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http://www.fibaasia.net/UserFiles/FPG2011101812350.JPG

Ang tatangkad ng mga players ng china under 16 kaya talaga yung iba dyan? hehehe...

^^
Panalo Philippines laban sa Indonesia, 93-30. :banana::banana::banana:

nothing's new. we are the king of SEABA for decades now. (Take note: Only in SEABA)

Philippines vs Vietnam

WT*!?!
107 PHI - 22 VIE 2:51 left in the 4th qtr..

Final score 111 PHI - 25 VIE..

PHI/VIE - Philippines hand down a few lessons to Vietnam
http://www.fibaasia.net/UserFiles/FNA2011102071147.JPG

NHA TRANG CITY, Vietnam (2nd FIBA Asia U16 Championship): Philippines did nothing more than necessary, but carved out a 111-25 win against hosts Vietnam in the Second Round as the top team from Group D.

For the second game in a row, coach Olsen Racela utilized the luxury of trying out all the players – keeping each of them for at least eight minutes – and all of them scored.

Paolo Rashleigh was the highest scorer for the Philippines with 20 points.http://www.fibaasia.net/NewsDetails.aspx?id=1460

Same jersey design, but different sponsor. :lol:

Abanilla is new Green Archers coach: report (http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/sports/10/21/11/abanilla-new-dlsu-green-archers-coach-report)

abs-cbnNEWS.com
Posted at 10/21/2011 5:34 PM | Updated as of 10/21/2011 10:08 PM

MANILA, Philippines – The De La Salle University (DLSU) has picked Gee Abanilla as the new head coach of the DLSU Green Archers.

ABS-CBN’s TJ Manotoc said Abanilla will replace former DLSU coach Dindo Pumaren, who resigned after a losing 5-9 record with the Archers in UAAP 74th Basketball Season.

More: http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/sports/10/21/11/abanilla-new-dlsu-green-archers-coach-report

PHI/KSA - Philippines take Saudi Arabia in their stride
http://fibaasia.net/UserFiles/FNA2011102371922.JPG

NHA TRANG CITY, Vietnam (2nd FIBA Asia U16 Championship): Coach Olsen Racela had the luxury of using a 10-man rotation in the very first quarter itself underlining their superiority as Philippines cantered through to a 100-42 win in Group F on Saturday.

Rashleigh Rivero was Philippines’ highest scorer with 18 points.

Abdulaziz Sakar was Saudi Arabia’s only scorer in double digits with 11 points.http://fibaasia.net/NewsDetails.aspx?id=1482

Kulang sa depensa ang team! Naka-42 points kalaban eh! :lol:

^^nung isang araw Qatar 28 points against 107 for the Philippines :cheers:

malamang Korea na naman ang makakaharap natin sa semifinals :D

FIBA Asia U16 Championship: Two OTs spark up Day 5 proceedings

Philippines and Japan in Group F and East Asian archrivals Korea and China in Group E meanwhile maintained their unbeaten run setting up clashes on Monday for the top place in their respective groups.
Source: FIBA ASIA (http://nhatrang2011.fibaasia.net/TournamentNewsDetails.aspx?id=1483)

Magkakaalaman na today kung sino ang top teams sa Group E and F!

(Nha Trang local time)
1300 China vs Korea

1900 Japan vs Philippines

^^sayang kasi walang TV coverage :ohno:

^^ yun nga, sana sa Pilipinas nalang ginawa 'to

update, panalo ang China
China (73) vs Korea (42)

aabangan ko tong mga philippine team na to pag uwi, malamang ateneo mapupunta to kasi si olsen ang coach, pero sponsor nila ay ang may ari ay la sallista


anyway, Benilde-CSB-LSGH beats San Beda "TAYTAY" Red Cubs, unang talo ng red cubs this season at unang panalo ng benilde-csb-lsgh laban sa san beda since 2008.

FIBA ASIA U16

PHL - 83
JPN - 72

PHL tops the group and will play No.4 Iraq of the other group in the QF

great game for red lions! 1 more win nalang. idol baser amer!

FIBA ASIA U16

PHL - 83
JPN - 72

PHL tops the group and will play No.4 Iraq of the other group in the QF

^^ :applause::applause::applause:

PHI/JPN - Alejandro provides the star turn for Philippines against Japan

NHA TRANG CITY, Vietnam (2nd FIBA Asia U16 Championship): Rodolpho Alejandro (pic above) provided the star turn to an otherwise equally explosive contest as Philippines raced ahead in the latter part of the second quarter and held fort to post an 83-72 win against Japan in a clutch Group F game on Monday.

The win perched Philippines on top of the Group F and set them up a quarterfinal clash against Iraq on Wednesday after Tuesday’s rest day. Japan will take on Lebanon in their quarterfinal with the possibility of meeting China in the semifinals.


More: FIBA ASIA (http://nhatrang2011.fibaasia.net/TournamentNewsDetails.aspx?id=1489)

malakas ang under 16 natin no?

PHI/VIE - Philippines hand down a few lessons to Vietnam
http://www.fibaasia.net/NewsDetails.aspx?id=1460

Hindi ko na pinost to sa wall ko and some locals may get butthurt. :D

Akala ko 16 palang si Kiefer. Sayang. :lol:

malakas ang under 16 natin no?

Dito lang sa SEA. :lol:

Akala ko 16 palang si Kiefer. Sayang. :lol:

Kung may U-23 na tournament ang FIBA, pwede pa dyan sina Kiefer at Ray Ray Parks. Sure win tayo dun. :lol:

Game 41_Second Round Group F_JPN-PHI
(in PHOTOS (http://www.fibaasia.net/FIBA_Asia_PhotoGallery.aspx))

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^^^ The disparity of scores between PH and opponent is mind boggling! Cheers to our FIBA U 16 national team!

Hindi ko na pinost to sa wall ko and some locals may get butthurt. :D

Ituloy mo na ang pag post. :)

Ganda ng future nitong si Alejandro. :D

Dito lang sa SEA. :lol:




The fact that we're in the top 4 in the recent FIBA ASIA Championship and our U16 team is doing well in the FIBA Asia U16 Championship is a testament that our National teams are doing great - hindi dito lang sa SEA kundi sa buong ASYA :)

Can't wait sa laban ng Pinas against KOREA at China (mukhang JPN, CHN, KOR at PHL yan sa finals). Malaki tyansa natin na matalo ang KOR this time, and I'm hoping na matalo din natin ang CHN. A second place finish is not bad though, basta pasok sa World Championship! Go PHL! :cheers:

Wednesday's Schedule (Oct 26, 2011):
(Nha Trang local time)

0900 Hrs: 9-12 Placings: India Vs. Vietnam
1100 Hrs: 9-12 Placings: Ch. Taipei Vs. Qatar
1300 Hrs: Quarterfinal 1: Japan Vs. Lebanon
1500 Hrs: Quarterfinal 2: Saudi Arabia Vs. China
1700 Hrs: Quarterfinal 3: Korea Vs. Indonesia
1900 Hrs: Quarterfinal 4: Iraq Vs. Philippines

Look out for the future stars!

Top two teams book ticket to Lithuania

· Iraq are the dark horses of the 2nd FIBA Asia U16 Championship coming into the competition with back-to-back title triumphs in the WABA U16 Championship.

· Iraq overcame the traditional powerhouses in Iran and Lebanon – both eventually booking their tickets to Vietnam.

From: FIBA ASIA U16 Event Guide Page (http://nhatrang2011.fibaasia.net/EventGuide.aspx)


Mukhang di basta-basta ang assignment ng PHL bukas (wag naman sanang mag-ala Jordan ang Iraq gaya nung sa FIBA Asia)

^^Iran failed to secure visas of their players, thus, have not shown up on this basketball tourney. All games of Iran were forfeited in favor of their opponents.

ahh, good thing nadin pala yan, kasi IRAN tumalo sa Pinas sa last FIBA ASIA U16 noong 2009 sa battle for third eh :lol:

Dito lang sa SEA. :lol:



Sino ulit ang kasama nila ngayon sa FIBA sa Nha Trang aside from VN, Indonesia and Malaysia (from South East Asia = SEA)?

Wait:

Japan (East Asia)
Qatar (Middle East)
Saudi Arabia (Middle East)
China (East Asia)
Korea (East Asia)
Iraq (Middle East)
Lebanon (Middle East)
Uzbekistan (Central Asia)
India (South Asia)
Iran (Middle East)
Taiwan (East Asia)

So magaling lang sila sa SEA = South East Asia?

I don't think so. Check your geography man.

Para sa akin pasok tayo sa top 5 sa Asya. :D

Sino ulit ang kasama nila ngayon sa FIBA sa Nha Trang aside from VN, Indonesia and Malaysia (from South East Asia = SEA)?

Wait:

Japan (East Asia)
Qatar (Middle East)
Saudi Arabia (Middle East)
China (East Asia)
Korea (East Asia)
Iraq (Middle East)
Lebanon (Middle East)
Uzbekistan (Central Asia)
India (South Asia)
Iran (Middle East)
Taiwan (East Asia)

So magaling lang sila sa SEA = South East Asia?

I don't think so. Check your geography man.

:lol: pinulbos mo naman masyado :lol:


btw, eliminated na ang truly asia este malaysia sa preliminary round, VN nalagas na din sa second round. INDONESIA and PHILIPPINES nalang yung pasok from SEA sa Final Round together with China, Korea, Lebanon, Iraq, Japan and Saudi Arabia :)

My statement was a joke. :D

Gee Abanilla formally named DLSU head coach (http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/sports/10/25/11/gee-abanilla-formally-named-dlsu-head-coach)

abs-cbnNEWS.com
Posted at 10/25/2011 8:04 PM | Updated as of 10/26/2011 7:25 AM

MANILA, Philippines - De La Salle University has officially announced the appointment of Gee Abanilla as the new head coach of the De La Salle Green Archers.

La Salle sports blog Go Archers confirmed that Abanilla has been hired as the head coach, with long-time PBA coach Jong Uichico as a team consultant.

More: http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/sports/10/25/11/gee-abanilla-formally-named-dlsu-head-coach

My statement was a joke. :D

For what purpose man? Everybody knows here about ASEAN, SEA Games! You wanted to insult the team????

O ayan, post ko ulit.

Sino ulit ang kasama nila ngayon sa FIBA sa Nha Trang aside from VN, Indonesia and Malaysia (from South East Asia = SEA)?

Wait:

Japan (East Asia)
Qatar (Middle East)
Saudi Arabia (Middle East)
China (East Asia)
Korea (East Asia)
Iraq (Middle East)
Lebanon (Middle East)
Uzbekistan (Central Asia)
India (South Asia)
Iran (Middle East)
Taiwan (East Asia)

So magaling lang sila sa SEA = South East Asia?

I don't think so. Check your geography man.

:lol: pinulbos mo naman masyado :lol:


btw, eliminated na ang truly asia este malaysia sa preliminary round, VN nalagas na din sa second round. INDONESIA and PHILIPPINES nalang yung pasok from SEA sa Final Round together with China, Korea, Lebanon, Iraq, Japan and Saudi Arabia :)

Kaya tahimik ang gulay nyan. :lol::lol::lol:

Pinost ko sa wall ko sa FB ang PH vs VN, walang nag react na local. HAHAHA.


My statement was a joke. :D

Not a good one man, let's give credit where credit is due. Pinaghirapan din naman nila yan... ;)

Kaya tahimik ang gulay nyan. :lol::lol::lol:

Pinost ko sa wall ko sa FB ang PH vs VN, walang nag react na local. HAHAHA.


hahaha. Kahit nga siguro high school varsity team, tatalunin nang Pinas.

Not a good one man, let's give credit where credit is due. Pinaghirapan din naman nila yan... ;)

Baka nga naman akala niya ang mga bansang yun ay ASEAN lang.....kay he stated na lang na joke yun kasi ang alam talaga nya ang mga bansang Japan, China, Iran ay ASEAN. hahaha

Quarter finals tonight vs Iraq..

Go Energen Pilipinas!!!

JPN/LIB - Lebanon’s attempt to ape Japan falls flat


NHA TRANG CITY, Vietnam (2nd FIBA Asia U16 Championship): Lebanon fell into the trap of attempting to match Japan in pace and were left exhausted much earlier than anticipated to lose 71-52 in the first quarterfinal on Wednesday.

Source: FIBA ASIA (http://nhatrang2011.fibaasia.net/TournamentNewsDetails.aspx?id=1496)


pasok na JPN sa semis bukas!

Pag nanalo maya ang PHL, PHL vs KOR yan malamang sa semis!

PHI/IRQ - Philippines prove too quick for Iraq to catch (http://www.fibaasia.net/NewsDetails.aspx?id=1499)

NHA TRANG CITY, Vietnam (2nd FIBA Asia U16 Championship): For the second game running, it justg needed one bright spark for SEABA U16 Philippines to maintain their unbeaten status – this time for a 82-69 win over Iraq, which gave them a place in the semifinals.

More: http://www.fibaasia.net/NewsDetails.aspx?id=1499

^^
Philippines vs. South Korea sa semi-finals.
"REVENGE!" :okay:

Lupit ng Beda! dinalawang sunod?!?!

mala-Crispa sana nuon na 19 win-one loss???

Congrats sa NCAA!

Congrats to PHL FIBA U16 Team!!!

http://a4.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/308493_297828953562318_110681668943715_1285927_573306635_n.jpg


JaVale McGee is Smart's newest endorser!

Smart Communications, Inc. (Smart) has just signed NBA star JaVale McGee as its newest corporate endorser.

The 23-year-old Washington Wizards center adds more luster to Smart’s roster of celebrity endorsers which include fellow NBA player Kevin Durant fas well as local athletes like the Philippine Azkals and celebrities the likes of Anne Curtis, Sam Pinto and Vhong Navarro, among others.

The seven-foot tall McGee was part of the NBA All-star team that visited the Philippines in July for a series of exhibition games held at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

“McGee is one of the freshest and most exciting players in the NBA today. His extraordinary athleticism coupled with his being techo-savvy makes him relevant to the Filipino market,” said Smart Chief Wireless Advisor Orlando Vea.

McGee recently made NBA history as the very first Wizard player to participate in the NBA all-star slam dunk contest where he was cited by the Guinness book of world records for the most number of basketballs dunked in a single jump.

Before that, he made the distinction of being the very first offspring of a former WNBA player to play in the NBA. McGee comes from impressive basketball lineage as his mom, Pamela McGee, played in the WNBA for two seasons in 1998 and 1999.

McGee is in the country for a short visit that includes a meet-and-greet with fans at the Jump Experience Center, guesting in a local basketball game and conducting a basketball clinic. (via Smart Communications, Inc. )

:rock:

http://www.fibaasia.net/UserFiles/FNA201110269851.JPG

Fancied 4some romp into Final 4

NHA TRANG CITY, Vietnam (2nd FIBA Asia U16 Championship): It was only logical that teams carrying the best win-loss records into the play-offs should also win the first game of the knock-out as the 2nd FIBA Asia U16 Championship entered its penultimate round on Wednesday.

Thursday’s semifinals – from where the winners go to the Championship round – will feature red hot favorites for the gold medal China against East Asian archrivals Japan and Korea meeting SEABA U16 champions Philippines.

China proved too mighty for Saudi Arabia in their 100-19 win and Philippines left Iraq an insurmountable task rather early in the game their 82-69 win.

Thursday’s schedule
0900 Hrs: 11-12 Placings: Vietnam Vs. Qatar
1100 Hrs: 9-10 Placings: India Vs. Ch. Taipei
1300 Hrs: 5-8 Placings: Lebanon Vs. Saudi Arabia
1500 Hrs: 5-8 Placings: Indonesia Vs. Iraq
1700 Hrs: Semifinal 1: Japan Vs. China
1900 Hrs: Semifinal 2: Korea Vs. Philippines
All times Nha Trang Local (GMT +0700 Hrs)


MORE: FIBA ASIA (http://nhatrang2011.fibaasia.net/TournamentNewsDetails.aspx?id=1500)

Sana talunin ng PHL team ang KOR this time! :okay:

^^Hope so. Pagkatapos nito....Fiba-Asia U16 Championship for Women naman sa December 4-11...:cheers:

PHI/IRQ - Philippines prove too quick for Iraq to catch
http://fibaasia.net/UserFiles/FNA2011102665845.JPG

NHA TRANG CITY, Vietnam (2nd FIBA Asia U16 Championship): For the second game running, it justg needed one bright spark for SEABA U16 Philippines to maintain their unbeaten status – this time for a 82-69 win over Iraq, which gave them a place in the semifinals.

Rodolfo Alejandro was the forefront of the Filipino offense yet again, as the leader of an otherwise all-round attack eight out of coach Olsen Racela’s 10-man rotation scored to put Philippines massively ahead at the end of the first quarter. Read more (http://fibaasia.net/NewsDetails.aspx?id=1499)

It's pay back time! Sana manalo sila this time! Para pasok sa fiba world : D

Quarterfinals – 2nd FIBA Asia U16 Championship, Nha Trang City (VIE), 2011
Iraq vs Philippines (in PHOTOS (http://fibaasia.net/images/More_Photos.gif))

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Sana pwede pang humabol sila Abbatayo no? :lol:

^^ Wow, Energen PH is in the semi-finals!
Congratulations!

Energen Phl routs Iraq, faces South Korea in semis

NHA TRANG CITY, Vietnam– Energen Pilipinas came through with a defense tough enough to crack reigning West Asian champion Iraq, 82-69, to forge an interesting showdown with fierce rival South Korea in the Second FIBA-Asia U-16 Championship at the Khan Noa Sports Center here last night.

http://www.philstar.com/sportsarticle.aspx?publicationsubcategoryid=69&articleid=741756&keyword=sp_pba

ilang taon naba si abatayo? si thomas torres at villaruz pwede rin, at isali mo pa ang 3 bedans kasama na si abatayo at pakantahin ng baa para lumakas ang kalaban,hehehe

Si Villaruz ng CSB 16 palang ata. :D Magaling din tong anak ni Benjie Paras. :lol:

kaso sunoy pa, pag magmature or 20's niya pwede ng makitaan ng galing, san beda taytay at la salle greenhills ang may pinaka magaling na mga players ng high school sa pilipinas! hehehehe

Sinuwerte lang ata sila sa Letran. :D 1st time palang nilang pumasok ng finals eh.:lol: Kung ganyan naman lang ang pag-uusapan, sa SBC and SSC ako kakampi. :lol:

magagaling kasi ang programa sa baste at beda

Halos lahat ng magagaling na collegiate players ngayon at dati ay sa program na yan kinuha. :D

http://www.fibaasia.net/UserFiles/FNA201110269851.JPG



MORE: FIBA ASIA (http://nhatrang2011.fibaasia.net/TournamentNewsDetails.aspx?id=1500)

Sana talunin ng PHL team ang KOR this time! :okay:

Maipasok sana nila ang kanilang free-throws sa crucial stretches ng game (kung umabot sa ganyang sitwasyon) kasi yan naman parati ang nagiging dahilan ng pagkatalo ng Pinas kung kalaban ang Korea.

;85079481']http://a4.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/308493_297828953562318_110681668943715_1285927_573306635_n.jpg



:rock:

Make JaVale McGee a naturalized Filipino para kapalit ni Douthit. :lol:

FIBA-Asia U-16 notes: Despite their aura of invincibility, this Chinese team has one trait that is obviously noticeable – they’re rude. Without even waiting for the Filipinos to wrap up their alloted one-hour practice session, the Chinese just rudely entered the court and started shooting baskets to the amazement of Racela and his players, who just left the court in silence to avoid any confrontation. “They barged in the practice of Energen Pilipinas. Didn’t even bother to send someone in first and talk to the team. That’s rude,” said Ryan Lao, brother of guard Kyles Lao who watched the team practice.

http://www.philstar.com/sportsarticle.aspx?publicationsubcategoryid=69&articleid=741756&keyword=sp_pba



:bash: :bash: :bash:

^^may araw din ang mga yan. they've been the whipping boys of the dream team in the Olympic for years. they are the team with the most squabble in international basketball events in recent years.

Maipasok sana nila ang kanilang free-throws sa crucial stretches ng game (kung umabot sa ganyang sitwasyon) kasi yan naman parati ang nagiging dahilan ng pagkatalo ng Pinas kung kalaban ang Korea.

those Korean shooters from down town should be contained all throughout the game. that way, they'll be forced to play an inside game that in turn, should be taken cared of by the athleticism of our interior defense. if they limit Korea to a purely half court game all throughout, the better. it will be our half court game against their half court game. dapat hindi nila masyadong bigyan ang korea ng running game. kasi dun minsan na oopen yung mga shooters nila.

At pag lamang na ng malaki, mas higpitan nila ang defense. Mahirap na yung mahahabol pa eh.

same team in the semis as fiba asia japan lang ang naiba :D

34-27 korea leads, 2nd quarter 4.46 time left, full time out

35-27 korea leads

Sana makahabol pa!

37-29 korea at halftime

57-44 korea, tang III nakakapuga ang korea1

58-54 korea at 3rd 7:29 minutes to go

58-55! Waaaah! Talunin na ang KOR!!!

Talo, battle fot 3rd bukas versus Japan

Fiba Asia U16 semis: Philippines absorbs a heartbreaker vs Korea, 58-67, ends world berth bid. Asilum and Alejandro 12pts each (via @jwpayo)

67-58, talo ang pinas

^^^^
:ohno: :cry: :( :cripes:

KOR/PHI - Korea’s walk in the ‘Park’ against Philippines (http://www.fibaasia.net/NewsDetails.aspx?id=1506)
http://www.fibaasia.net/UserFiles/FNA2011102765234.JPG

NHA TRANG CITY, Vietnam (2nd FIBA Asia U16 Championship): Park Intae made his appearance only at the start of the second quarter adding size to an already solid defense to lead Korea to a 67-58 win against stubborn, but rigid, Philippines in the second semifinal on Thursday.

More: http://www.fibaasia.net/NewsDetails.aspx?id=1506

yet again, south korea is the killer of our international hoops dreams.

AGREE! parang may sumpa laban sa atin., :ohno:

:bash: :bash: :bash:

Nakakainis naman! :bash::bash::bash:

^^i miss the days when the likes of ron jacobs were coaching the Philippine national team. when the game is on the line in the 4th quarter, he sure will various bag of tricks to turn things in the Philippines' favor. anyway, i hope we could learn from our string of losses from south korea, move on from here, and do better next time.

Ano bang meron sa SK at palagi tayong natatalo doon?

Hm, may U16 championship wildcard phase din ba? yung parang sa men's?

Nako. 4th place finish na naman ba to? Huwag naman sana. Manalo sana sila sa Japan. :D

^^meron yata tayong "Korean syndrome"...pero kung andyan sana yung Iranians...wala ang mga koreanong yan sa semifinals...:ohno:

^^ The Koreans blocked our chances again. :ohno:

Pasabugin ang Korea!! :lol::jk: Better luck next time! May mga magagaling pa naman tayo. :D

:bash: :bash: :bash:

Di na ako magtataka, theres something about the mainland chinese na ewan...siguro ganun talaga sila..kasi kahit dito sa SG di maganda tingin ng mga local na chinese sa mga tiga mainland..medyo rough kasi ang ugali

wag mag-alala, kapag nakahanap ng tyempo yang North Korea at giyerahin yang Skorea malamang mawawala sila sa FIBA competitions at magiging mas madali na para sa atin ang makalagpas sa semis. lol.

Baka nastar struck ang U16 natin - kala siguro sa kalaban mga K-Pop stars. BWAHAHAHAHAHAHA

JK.

:lol:

Talo na naman ang Energen Pilipinas, 94-81. :ohno: :cry: :( :cripes:

They finish fourth place, ties the record set by K. Ravena's U16 batch in 2009.

^^
Di na kasi sila ginanahan eh. :lol:

Alamin natin kung ano ang sumpa pag Korea ang kalaban...

It's too bad some of the players from the NCAA were unable to join the team because of the length of the league's season.

Kahit naman ipahiram ng Beda yung mga player nila talo pa rin sila sa LSGH. :lol:

U16 Championship for Women naman sa December...korea at pilipinas...kasali na naman

kulang ng sustenance at finishing ang Pilipinas...

malakas ang korean team na babae, parang china rin

Kahit naman ipahiram ng Beda yung mga player nila talo pa rin sila sa LSGH. :lol:

??? Proud? Haha :bash:

McGee tapped for Smart Gilas
By Nelson Beltran (The Philippine Star) Updated October 30, 2011 12:00 AM

http://img7.imageshack.us/img7/3371/mcgee.jpg



MANILA, Philippines - If everything falls into place, Smart Gilas Pilipinas will have the Washington Wizards’ seven-foot center JaVale McGee as naturalized player for the next FIBA Asia championship.

McGee had been in the country twice in the last four months and, in his last visit, expressed willingness to be part of the Philippine team vying for a slot in the 2014 World Championship.

The STAR source said McGee and the Smart Gilas people have reached an agreement to pursue the same direction Marcus Douthit had gone through enabling the latter to play for the Phl team in the recent Asian joust in Tianjin, China.

“If ever, we will have a taller, younger naturalized player to match up with Hamed Haddadi, Yi Jianglian and the like,” The STAR source said.

http://www.philstar.com/SportsArticle.aspx?articleId=742854&publicationSubCategoryId=69&keyword=

ows? kong sa bagay di pa naman siya nalapaglaro sa team usa officially

good news..

Paano na si Kuya Marcus?

^^
Tumatanda na si Marcus. :D Dapat makahanap na ng bagong reinforcement. :D

31 pa lang naman si Kuya Marcus eh. Sa 2013, 33 pa lang siya. Kaya pa nya yun. Tumatanda na rin naman sina Wang, Yi, Ha, at Haddadi eh. Match lang.

^^
Di parin yan sapat na dahilan. Kaya nga naghahanda eh.:lol: Malay mo may mangyari kay Douthit. Tsk tsk

sa fiba rules dapat isang naturalized player lang diba? malay natin pwedeng ng dalawa

sa fiba rules dapat isang naturalized player lang diba? malay natin pwedeng ng dalawa

Nope, As I remember during 1986 when PHL became FIBA champion, beating China in the finals..3 ang naturalized player don..

That rule might be changed na. At, ang alam ko nga rin ay isang naturalized lang per country.

Yung Qatar halos lahat mga naturalized :lol:

Kaya pala talo kaagad sa Tianjin. :lol:

hahahahahaha, panalo pala ang beda sa benilde kahapon no? 1 point lang, nice game




di siguro nag "BAA"

what's latest about nba 2k12?

No 2011 draft class. :lol:

No 2011 draft class. :lol:

You have to download it online

ang ganda ng nilalaro ng la salle kahapon, tambak ang mmsaa champion na CEU
present si danding cojuanco at ang fsc

panalo rin ang nu bulldogs sa naascu champion university of manila

puro tambak

la salle and adamson are qualified in PCCL as metro manila champions

la salle without AVO and andrada enjoys the game with the return of the "spider" joshua webb, the assasins tampus,revilla,vosotros, the deffensive wingmans norbert torres, papot paredes,gotladera,reyes and mendoza others include sara, also present in the bench was the cebuano high scool superstar that was recruited by ateneo but goes to la salle

under coach gee abanilla, la salle is the most feared team in PCCL rather than san beda and ateneo

uaap 74th season bench paredes,gotladera and tampus are now like a superstar of la salle team
which give them a low post advantage and tansitions which la salle team under pumaren doesn't do

Matagal nang seeded ang AdU sa PCCL.

adu is adamson, ADMU is ateneo, automatic finals are ateneo and san beda as uaap and ncaa championships, adamson seedes as 5th and will play quarter finals berth

Yep, I know na ang AdU ay Adamson.

http://www.collegiatechampionsleague.net/IMAGES/CHART-PCCL2011.jpg

^^2011 PCCL bracket.

la salle adamson sure na sa quarter finals, makikita mo ang gawa ni gee abanilla sa mga bench na malalakas dapat pero binangko ni pumaren

Kulang sa execution eh. Pero sigurado ako under Coach Gee mag iimprove ang La Salle. Pasok sa Final 4 yan.:lol:

ngayun gumaganda na ang execution, tinalo ng la salle ang mapua 56-51 bago pumasok sa qualifying round wala si van opstal at andrada, halimaw na ang mga players at may low post na at magaling na sa fast break, parang si franz pumaren ang coach ang pinagkaiba nga lang mga uhaw na tong mga bata na to...2,000 pesos per point na sila pag panalo at 1,ooo pag talo same lang sa rate nila pag panalo dati

la salle team spending 120,000 per game from their god fathers and sponsors from current 60,000 per game, pera pera lang to

Don't count out yung makakalaban nila from the south. I'm pretty sure na may malalakas na team dun.

wala na si slaughter at junmar fajardo, ang cebuano superstar ay nasa la salle na, bisaya ako, alam ko ang laro sa visayas, magaling sa individual pero kinakatay ng sestema ng laro ng ncr...

kahit noon pa man na naglalaro si slaughter sa UV green lancers di rin sila nanalo sa la salle at ateneo even sa ue laglag lagi sila

talent wise maraming talented sa visayas pero skills and basketball IQ dito sa NCR nadedevelop yun

name the best player in visayas o kahit sa luzon, kahit subrang galing mangangamote yan pag pinalaro mo kalaban nila ay may sestema
proven yun tol...

then yung visayas champion naka bracket sa ateneo ngayon, 3 years in a row na, lahat ng team na nakakachampion sa PCCL ay puro UAAP teams, saUniveristy games lang nananalo ang visyas dahil walang bigat sa uaap at ncaa yun, ngayong official game/tournament na ang universiade malamang puro UAAP at NCAA na

Nsa UC parin ata si Junmar naglalaro para sa PCCL. :) UC ang nag champion sa visayas leg beating South We.

mas maganda kong andun pa siya at makakaharap niya ulit si slaughter, bit i dont think ang team mates nya ay makakasabay sa laro dito, dito kasi sestema,gulang,galing,resitensya at utak sa laro, last PCCL kawawa si slaughter sa ateneo, 6'5 6'4 lang ang nagbabantay2007 ata yun, then last year UC vs la salle lamang lang ang la salle ng 11 82-71sa battle for third

Malaki lang talaga kasi si Slaughter eh. Pero kapag nabantayan ng maayos, hindi na makakagalaw. Parang nung huling AdU-ADMU, double team lang hindi na kaagad siya makaporma.

At, naka-pasok sa Final 4 ang UC last year.

oo last year nakapasok sila pero tinambakan ng la salle 82-71, 11 lang naman di naman gaano tambak...uaap and ncaa teams has the best and finest, from high school recruits sa buong bansa ginalugad nila at million million din ang budget kayat nakakarecruit

makakapaglaro ba si Ola Adeogun at Julius Armon para sa San Beda sa PCCL?

Ang alam ko pwede ang mga Team B players sa PCCL eh.

BTW, si Ola Adeogun ba yung bagong foreign recruit nila?

^^ yup. makakapaglaro na next season ng NCAA yun, papalit kay sudan.

nice sarap cguro makita ang Ola-Baser tandem nyan sa PCCL.

Parang laging may nakahandang kapalit ang Beda sa mga foreign players nila ah.

yep pero this recent NCAA season, nagchamp ang San Beda ng walang foreigner, All Filipino. buong season hanggang finals hindi nakapaglaro si sudan eh dahil sa injury.

taob lahat ng critics na nagsasabing hindi magchachampion ang beda kung walang import.

sa liit ng san beda college at sa laki ng pera ng alumni at sa laki ng tulong ng ateneo at la salle sa san beda, normal lang na pagpilahan sila ng mga magagaling na players at reserves....1,2,3 minsan bininigay ng ateneo at la salle ang number 1 sa kanila....iba kasi tong love triangle nila eh kapalit naman nun yung mga high school players ng beda binibigay sa ateneo at la salle

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=01XoZFGsQCo&feature=youtube_gdatahttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=01XoZFGsQCo&feature=youtube_gdata

watch this

2011 SEA Games: Sinag Pilipinas demolishes Cambodia, 127-68

source:http://teampilipinas.info/2011/11/2011-sea-games-sinag-pilipinas-vs.html

SEA Games: Sinag Pilipinas beats Vietnam, 107-53

source: http://teampilipinas.info/2011/11/sea-games-sinag-pilipinas-beats-vietnam.html

i like chris ellis, very talented and lots of magics in playing basketball, bobby ray can score 30-40 points easily if coach norman will give him a 30-minute playing time

^^
Agree! :okay:
Chris Ellis is also very athletic. :cheers:

bawat laro may magic play, at high flying, sayang yung assist kanina ni kiefer alley oops sana with two hands

Players union 'dissolves;' 2011-12 season in jeopardy

Posted Nov 14 2011 5:41PM - Updated Nov 15 2011 7:05AM

Read more... http://www.nba.com/2011/news/features/steve_aschburner/11/14/union-dissolves/index.html?cid=nba.2013

hangat matigas ang nba at di pinapaburan ang NBPA ay mawawala talaga ang buong season

ba't mejo bias mga ref ngayong araw sa seaG.. kasi ba kalahi nila karamihan sa kalaban?

http://teampilipinas.info/2011/11/chinese-league-boosted-by-nba-woes.html

Chinese league boosted by NBA woes
| NBA | 4 comments »



source: Robert Saiget | Agence France-Presse

BEIJING - China's basketball league starts this weekend boosted by an exodus of star players fleeing the NBA lock-out, which has also given an opportunity to show more domestic games on national TV.

J.R. Smith, Kenyon Martin, Wilson Chandler and China's own ex-Washington Wizards power forward Yi Jianlian are among numerous ex-NBA players suiting up for the Chinese Basketball Association (CBA), which reopens on Sunday.

Several out-of-contract NBA players signed for Chinese clubs rather than wait for a resolution of the financial dispute between clubs and players which has held up the start of the American season and could scuttle it altogether.

"The foreign players coming to the CBA are getting better and better, competition in the league and the level of play is getting higher and higher," said Yi, who has joined up with reigning champions the Guangdong Tigers.

"I can't wait for the games to start... I can't wait to play each one of these guys, I'm looking forward to enjoying every game."

The champions open the season against Smith's Zhejiang Golden Bulls in a nationally televised game Sunday. The ex-Denver Nuggets guard was reportedly signed for a Chinese-record, one-year contract of US$3 million.

China Central Television will air Zhejiang games at least once a week through November, a decision that came after Smith wowed spectators with 33 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists in a pre-season exhibition game.

With a reported 300 million basketball fans in China, the state broadcaster has also increased the number of CBA games to be broadcast this season to up to five a week to fill the void left by the NBA lockout.

After cancelling its November games, the NBA announced Tuesday that the 2011-2012 season would not begin until December 15 at the earliest, provided a collective bargaining agreement with players can be worked out.

"The CBA has been having financial difficulties itself, so the NBA lock-out is providing the CBA with a marketing opportunity," Su Qun, editor of the popular Basketball Pioneers newspaper, told AFP.

"This means higher revenues for the CBA, not only because of all the newly arrived NBA players, but also because there will be no NBA games to watch on television."

Despite the influx of ex-NBA players and coaches, Guangdong are favorites to repeat as champions, boasting five national team players and former Dallas Mavericks forward James Singleton, one of the CBA's top scorers last season.

Their main rivals will be the Xinjiang Flying Tigers, who signed former NBA All Star Martin and brought in one-time Cleveland Cavaliers assistant coach Robert Donewald, who also heads up China's national team.

Xinjiang also boast seven-foot (2.12 meter) center Menk Bateer, who won a championship with the San Antonio Spurs in 2003 during a brief NBA career.

Other contenders include Zhejiang Guangxia, who signed former Nuggets forward Chandler and are coached by one-time Los Angeles Lakers assistant Jim Cleamons.

Meanwhile, former New York Knicks star Stephon Marbury begins his third CBA season with the Beijing Ducks, the third team in his China career.

Marbury, who is hoping to expand his Starbury line of shoes in China, has been learning Chinese and is a fan favorite for his commutes on the Beijing subway and a tattoo of his Chinese name, "Mabuli", across his forearm.

The 34-year-old multi-millionaire has also voiced his hopes of one day coaching in the CBA and even the China national team.

The CBA, founded in 1995, currently has 17 teams. The 34-round 2011-2012 season ends in late February and will be followed by an eight-team championship play-off.

NBA, where s**t happens

Pwede siguro i-propose sa PBA board na taasan ang max na sweldo ng mga imports para ma-enganyo ang mga NBA player na maglaro dito sa atin. Ang alam ko kasi wala pang 1M sweldo nila.

Talo women's basketball natin sa Thailand. :D

Sabi ni Boom, last second shot daw ang nakatalo. Mukhang kahit sa women's eh in effect pa rin ang "Korea curse".


:lol:

Philipppine Men's Basketball won again'st Malaysia
103 - 74
next GOLD na..:)

Babawi ang Men's (sinag) basketball sa Thailand for the Gold. Hoping no more "Korean Curse" tomorrow.

Babawi ang Men's (sinag) basketball sa Thailand for the Gold. Hoping no more "Korean Curse" tomorrow.
Sayang nga sa perlas.. galing kasi mag-ft ng mga thighs

sa mens.. lahat ng kalaban natin sa SEA ang may 'curse' lol

Sabi ni Boom, last second shot daw ang nakatalo. Mukhang kahit sa women's eh in effect pa rin ang "Korea curse".


:lol:

^^
Talo sila sa OT. :bash:

this is the gold medal match that matters to the majority of Filipinos. i hope our men's cage team will avenge the loss of their women counterparts against Thailand. and i hope they will win convincingly.

Sabi ni Boom, last second shot daw ang nakatalo. Mukhang kahit sa women's eh in effect pa rin ang "Korea curse".


:lol:

if i remember correctly, it used to be that our basketball team would often find a way to win in close international games. it seems we lost our mojo in crunch times of international hoops games.

Sana di sila maging complaisant. :D

if i remember correctly, it used to be that our basketball team would often find a way to win in close international games. it seems we lost our mojo in crunch times of international hoops games.

Tama. :lol: Pinapairal nila yung gulang laban sa mas matatangkad na players. Lalo na sa China. :D

^^game time is at 7pm (Phl time), so i'm looking forward to watch that gold medal match.

Yeah. While waiting, manuod lang muna ng PBA :lol:

Na-upset ng Thailand ang Indonesia?

^^
Sa mens basketball, yes.

sayang hindi indo ang nakalaban natin sa mens.. masarap sanang tambakan yang host.. kasi tinambakan nila ang lahat ng bansa sa bilang ng gintong medalya.. makabawi man lang heehehe

yong basketball team ng Thailand, Malaysia at Indonesia ay mga team A (National Team) na nila diba? i mean unlike sa Phil. team hindi Smart Gilas o Professional (PBA) ang mga players.. pero mas magaling pa rin :cheers:

^^isipin mo na lang kung Smart Gilas ang ipinadala..

sa SEAGAMES lang yan.. pag dating sa entire asia... wala kulelat ang PI :bash:

^^isipin mo na lang kung Smart Gilas ang ipinadala..

congratulations sinag pilipinas!

final score 85 - 57

sa SEAGAMES lang yan.. pag dating sa entire asia... wala kulelat ang PI :bash:
mga kasing tangkad kasi natin mga kapitbahay natin

Tayo ang USA ng SEA. :lol: :banana:

^^:lol::lol:

From powerhouse of asia, now to southeast asia...what's next...:bash:

congratulations sinag pilipinas!

final score 85 - 57

Congrats! Another GOLD! :cheers::cheers::cheers:

hindi lang tau power house ng Basketball sa SEA. pati Softball and Baseball tau din :)

mamaya PCCL, NU vs JRU at 2:00 PM followed by La Salle vs UST

^^isipin mo na lang kung Smart Gilas ang ipinadala..

^^
Or mga PBA players.

nakalimutan kong manuod ng finals. LOL.
here are some highlights of the game.:cool:
KsMCq3GhK7k

The scores:

First game

JRU 66 – Lopez 10, Villarias 8, Apinan 8, Montemayor 7, Monserat 7, Matute 7, Kabigting 7, Almario 6, Carampil 4, Paniamogan 2, Mendoza 0

NU 62 – Mbe 13, Javillonar 12, Villamor 8, Labing-isa 8, Roño 5, Singh 4, Alolino 4, Neypes 3, Khobuntin 3, Celda 2

Quarter scoring: 14-11, 32-26, 51-45, 66-62

Second game

De La Salle 72 – Webb 16, Vosotros 13, de la Paz 12, Marata 10, Revilla 8, Torres 7, Tampus 2, Paredes 2, Mendoza 2, Gotladera 0, Sara 0

UST 67 – Ferrer 23, Vigil 9, Lo 9, Sheriff 6, Afuang 6, Abdul 5, Camus 5, Javier 2, Pe 2, Tan 0, Lao 0, Ungria 0

Quarter scoring: 18-13, 40-39, 64-54, 72-67

Close lag ang Nu vs. Jru. Nu pa kaya kung nakalaro si Parks :D

Basing from scores, it seems that Abdul didn't dominate. Eh kaya nya naman tapatan ang mga big men ng DLSU.

malakas ang dlsu squad, ang coach lang ang may problema, even ateneo could lose to dlsu with this current system, i watch the game 4 times with the new dlsu squad and their doing well, joshua webb is now a superstar, can shoot,can drive,can low post and he dunks like a black man

ang PCCL ang pinaka importante at sukatan kong anong team o university ang pinakamalakas at may pinakamagandang programa ng basketball sa pilipinas, importante at mas maganda pa kesa uaap/ncaa league

The scores:

First game

JRU 66 – Lopez 10, Villarias 8, Apinan 8, Montemayor 7, Monserat 7, Matute 7, Kabigting 7, Almario 6, Carampil 4, Paniamogan 2, Mendoza 0

NU 62 – Mbe 13, Javillonar 12, Villamor 8, Labing-isa 8, Roño 5, Singh 4, Alolino 4, Neypes 3, Khobuntin 3, Celda 2

Quarter scoring: 14-11, 32-26, 51-45, 66-62

Second game

De La Salle 72 – Webb 16, Vosotros 13, de la Paz 12, Marata 10, Revilla 8, Torres 7, Tampus 2, Paredes 2, Mendoza 2, Gotladera 0, Sara 0

UST 67 – Ferrer 23, Vigil 9, Lo 9, Sheriff 6, Afuang 6, Abdul 5, Camus 5, Javier 2, Pe 2, Tan 0, Lao 0, Ungria 0

Quarter scoring: 18-13, 40-39, 64-54, 72-67

Meron bang video ng game sa youtube?

id still want to see san beda and ateneo in the championship game of PCCL :)

talo ang la salle sa letran, ang ganda nung game, mga bobo mga referee,

games on thursday

1:30 PM (2:00 PM telecast on studio 23)-Adamson VS San Sebastian
3:30 PM (4:00 PM delayed telecast)- Letran VS FEU

the winner will face san beda in final four

talo ang la salle sa letran, ang ganda nung game, mga bobo mga referee,

games on thursday

1:30 PM (2:00 PM telecast on studio 23)-Adamson VS San Sebastian
3:30 PM (4:00 PM delayed telecast)- Letran VS FEU

paano po sila naging referee kung mga bobo sila? doesn't make sense!

tingnan mo ang laro nila bukas, telecast sa studio 23,masdan mo ng malaman mo

AdU Falcons played 2 games today, one the PCCL match against JRU and their D-League game (Freego Jeans) against Cobra. Panalo both. :banana:

bukas pa po ang laro ng adamson sa arena at trinity university of asia gym, advance ka ng 2 days ha

May laro sila kahapon against JRU and Cobra. Yung bukas, AdU vs. SSC sa San Juan and Freego vs. DUB Unlimited sa TUA Gym.

Don't question that, because I'm a student of AdU.

falcon ka nga talaga, bukas manood tayo, baste ako...augustinian ako,hehehe

Awts... sayang talo Adamson against Baste in PCCL OT 85 - 83..

maganda ang laro ng adamson,pero iba talaga ang big 3 ng baste

sa 2nd game, napahiya ang FEU,hahahaha

puro NCAA teams ang nanalo, puro UAAP teams talo

sayang nga wala si kevin, kong nagkataon, malaki laki ang tambak sa FEU

:cry:

ok lang yan @1100, pinatunayan lang ng NCAA na sila pa rin ang magaling sa lahat ng liga sa pilipinas, wala tayong magagawa sa pangarap nila, alam mo nung first game between adamson and baste, ang mga taga letran kumakampi sa baste at iisa lang ang chant at cheer nila, parang iisang school, subrang ingay at lakas ng suporta ng kapwa ncaa teams,

well wait nalang sa ateneo-san beda or baka masilat ang ateneo ng baste/letran, depende sa makakapasok

ang napansin ko sa ncaa teams, nagpapalamang sila sa first half,tapos dadahandahanin nila sa 3rd and 4th quarter, parang mga diesel, habang tumatagal lalong lumalakas, at sa ncaa teams di sila gaanong nag fofoul,ayaw nila sa penalty at puro siguro kong sila ang maka free throw

sa adamson, wala ako masabi kay canada,pero sana si cabrera ang laging pinapahawak ng bola,high percentage at may mataas ng basketball IQ kesa kina lozada,colina, at iba pa, hanga ako sa batang yan

sa 2nd game, mga bata pa ang letran, probably sila ang may future
mark cruz,5'5',rookie-1st year, may shooting at 25 points lang naman kanina,at siya rin ang tinik sa la salle-letran game

si almazan 2nd year palang rin, grabe ang blocking

si kevin alas, pinaka magaling na manlalaro sa pilipinas sa amteur league at under 25 kong edad ang pagbabasihan kaya nga nasa LA,usa ngayon at maglalaro dun

kong ako lang papipiliin sa national team sa SINAG man o GILAS II

PG-kevin Alas----rr garcia-------calvin abueva
SG-ray parks----kiefer Ravena---chris lutz-----ron pascual
SF-cliff hodge---chris ellis-------marcio lassitter
PF-sangalang----japeth aguilar---junmar fajardo
C -slaughter-----almazan--------douthit

others

garvo lanete
LA revila
jan colina
chris tiu

5'11 garcia and ravena
6'2' lassitter
6'3 abueva,pascual,lutz
6'4 alas,parks
6'5 hodge
6'6' ellis
6'7 sangalang
6'8 almazan
6'9 aguilar
6'10 junmar fajardo
6'11 douthit
7'0 slaghter
__________________

6'5' and1/4 average height of 16 players

^^ PF laro ni abueva sa ncaa dba? sa tingin ko hindi naman effective pag ggwin syang PG.

Hindi talaga magiging effective. Ni hindi nga ata yan nasunod sa play eh. Pagkakuha kasi ng bola, drive. :nuts:

mas ok pag si baser amer ilalagay jan sa pg spot :)

Hindi talaga magiging effective. Ni hindi nga ata yan nasunod sa play eh. Pagkakuha kasi ng bola, drive. :nuts:

^^ganun ang larong kapampangan, si pascual,abueva at sangalang:lol:

maganda ang laro ng adamson,pero iba talaga ang big 3 ng baste

sa 2nd game, napahiya ang FEU,hahahaha

puro NCAA teams ang nanalo, puro UAAP teams talo

sayang nga wala si kevin, kong nagkataon, malaki laki ang tambak sa FEU
^^
Naglaro ba si RR Garcia? :)

Yep. He finished with 8 points.

goodluck to the Cebuano teams today, games will be played at Ormoc Superdome:

UC Webmasters vs STI-CDO(Mindanao Champion)
SWU Cobras vs AMA-Ormoc(Visayas Champion)

STI lang nakapasok na, grabe ang basketball sa mindanao ah, sana luzon champion ang nagcross over sa vis-min champions para masukat kong sino talaga ang magagaling

UNP of vigan and Uni. of batangas vs UC and STI

hindi yung visyas at mindanao sila rin ang maguumpugan, dapat baguhin ng PCCL ang format nila

STI lang nakapasok na, grabe ang basketball sa mindanao ah, sana luzon champion ang nagcross over sa vis-min champions para masukat kong sino talaga ang magagaling

UNP of vigan and Uni. of batangas vs UC and STI

hindi yung visyas at mindanao sila rin ang maguumpugan, dapat baguhin ng PCCL ang format nila

Ibalik nila yung ala-US NCAA Sweet 16 format!

panget din kasi katapat noon ng ue,feu at la salle eh mga number 16 seed, pgkatapos number 8 then so on and so fort, mas maganda talaga kong round robin, kahit single round lang, tapos top 8 quarter finals agad,then semis then finals, ala olympic-FIBA style, tapos walang twice to beat

Ang gusto ko lang naman sa PCCL ay mga upsets ng mga Vis/Min at Luzon teams sa mga UAAP/NCAA teams eh. :banana: Para mas exciting!

yun din ang inaabangan ko, kayat tuwang tuwa ako ng natalo ng baste ang adamson at natalo ang FEU ng Letran, noon pa man UV green lancers na ako, kaso sina lanete(PG,5'8", kapatid ni lanete sa PBA), diputado(SG,5'10),slaughter(C,6'11") at berame(PF,6'7") short sa mga batang atenista at la sallista

UC pala ung naka-#4 last year, akala ko UV. :D

UC defeated SWU to enter the semis of PCCL. congrats!

san sebastian,university of cebu,san beda,and ateneo in final 4!!!



bakbakan na!!!

PBA D-League news:

Freego Jeans trashed Big Chill, 78-46. :lol:

san sebastian,university of cebu,san beda,and ateneo in final 4!!!



bakbakan na!!!



id still go for san beda vs ateneo in the finals! :cheers:

Slaughter vs. Fajardo muna ulit. :banana:

McGee in love with 'adopted country'
By Joaquin Henson The Philippine Star Updated December 04, 2011 12:00 AM


MANILA, Philippines - Washington Wizards center JaVale McGee has fallen in love with the Philippines and in principle, agreed to play for the national basketball team as a naturalized citizen if ever the opportunity arises, it was recently confirmed by the Cincinnati-based East West Private firm.

McGee, 23, visited Manila twice during the NBA lockout. He came to play two exhibition games last July and returned last month as a PLDT Smart endorser to film a tourism video.

East West Private marketing partner Chao Chuatico-Espaldon told The STAR that during McGee’s visit to Boracay in the course of filming the tourism video, he phoned his mother Pam long distance and raved about the resort paradise. “JaVale promised to buy a home for his mom in Boracay because he loved the place,” said Espaldon. “On his first trip, he didn’t get to see much of the country so he wanted to come back. I phoned coach Chot (Reyes) and we talked about an endorsement deal with PLDT Smart. Coach Chot took it up with Mr. MVP (Manny V. Pangilinan) and we got it done. The idea was to bring JaVale to key destinations in the Philippines and in coordination with the Department of Tourism, we produced a docu showing him visiting Palawan, Bohol, Davao, Boracay and of course, Luneta. It will be a series with episodes answering the question – where in the Philippines is JaVale?”


WOW... a legit NBA bigman and one of its budding superstars donning the PHL jersey

pag aaralan pa yan, gusto niya kaso baka alipustahin siya ng mga pulitiko, sure siya kong puso at pera kasi andyan si MVP, kaya ang salary niya sa NBA sa smart lang siya naka pay roll

Level 1 Day 1 Round-Up: Japan stun China; Korea, Taipei win
http://www.fibaasia.net/UserFiles/FNA201112472533.JPG

JINAN, China (2nd FIBA Asia U16 Championship for Women): Japan launched their campaign in the 2nd FIBA Asia U16 Championship for Women in a sparkling manner beating hosts and hot favorites China 92-87 as fellow East Asian teams Korea and Chinese Taipei came away with comfortable opening day wins on Sunday.

Korea took very little time to settle down against India and won 85-57 and Chinese Taipei scored the first 14 points of the game against Philippines and had little to worry about in their 119-33 runaway win. Read more (http://www.fibaasia.net/NewsDetails.aspx?id=1639)

Day One Action – 2nd FIBA Asia U16 Championship for Women, Jinan (CHN), 2011
In PHOTOS (http://www.fibaasia.net/images/More_Photos.gif)

PHILIPPINES vs CHINESE TAIPEI

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PCCL update:

ATENEO 53- 54 U. OF CEBU, END OF FIRST HALF

Ouch, talo ang U-16 Women's team natin.

Speaking of the PCCL Final 4, na-demolish ang UC, 100-53.

^^
Kaya nga, tinambakan.

lack of talent and system ang UC, even si junmar nalilito at nahihilo, kong ateneo ang ipinadala sa universiade or san beda, and baste may chance pa siguro tayo noon manalo.

mas maganda siguro gawing premiere league ang PCCL, during summer at top 34 teams 16 from UAAP and NCAA then 18 for other mother leagues all through out the philppines

tapos round robin, every other day ang laro

Dami nang Summer Leagues eh.

ATENEO lose to SAN SEBASTIAN

full lined-up ATENEO
vs
Ron Pascual and semira less San Sebastian!:lol:

:eek: :eek: :eek:

:banana: :banana: :dance:

If that last heave by Kirk Long was ruled as counted, it would have been the epic buzzer beater of the year! LOL!

Is ADMU already eliminated? Hopefully not. I want revenge :)

Round-robin ang PCCL F4 ngayong year. Top 2 teams ang papasok sa Finals.

Coach ng UC walang diskarte di dapat maging coach.

walang sestema na alam, akala niya siya na ang pinakamagaling, umaasa siya sa kay fajardo, eh dito sa manila ang laro utak,diskarte,gulang at taktika, iba ang may talento sa mataas ang IQ sa basketball

itrain sila ng manila based coach, after 2-3 years pwede na sila manalo ng isang laro sa final 4 sa PCCL,buti nga yung san beda vs UC 6-7 lang ang lamang.

isa pa, ang players ng UC ay hindi balance ang mga katawan, ang UAAP at NCAA teams ay may sports clinic at nutritionist, dapat alaga rin ang players

Semerad twins confirm transfer to Ateneo (http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/sports/12/07/11/semerad-twins-confirm-transfer-ateneo)

MANILA, Philippines – Collegiate basketball players Anthony and David Semerad on Wednesday confirmed that they will be leaving NCAA's San Beda College team to transfer to UAAP’s Ateneo de Manila University (AdMU).

The two could become eligible to play for Ateneo in 2013, when they serve their 1-year residency.

Natuloy din pala sila sa Ateneo.

walang sestema na alam, akala niya siya na ang pinakamagaling, umaasa siya sa kay fajardo, eh dito sa manila ang laro utak,diskarte,gulang at taktika, iba ang may talento sa mataas ang IQ sa basketball

itrain sila ng manila based coach, after 2-3 years pwede na sila manalo ng isang laro sa final 4 sa PCCL,buti nga yung san beda vs UC 6-7 lang ang lamang.

isa pa, ang players ng UC ay hindi balance ang mga katawan, ang UAAP at NCAA teams ay may sports clinic at nutritionist, dapat alaga rin ang players

UC won against San Sebastian. Why need to go to Manila? If you want to be properly trained, join UV or SWU.

UC won against San Sebastian. Why need to go to Manila? If you want to be properly trained, join UV or SWU.

^^pabigay lang yun ng baste na game, andun ako sa dug out at kaibigan ko si coach topex, ano ka, yang play ng UV di uubra kong seseryosohin lang,practice game nag lang kasi walang kwenta kahit manalo pa ang baste, ano makukuha nila? syempre gusto nilang bigyan ng moral ang south at north ng mnaila para magkaroon ng lakas ng loob

kong ateneo at san beda walang puso, kaming augustinian may puso at damdamin, 3 point shot out lang young laro, tingnan nation and laro sa ateneo vs baste.

at isa pa, hindi ang magagaling ang taga cebu, yung samar,leyte,bohol,southern leyte at bukidnon ang mga star players sa cebu

dito naman sa manila, las pinas,manila,rizal,pampanga,tarlac,pangasinan at batangas

mahilig ako sa basketball kayat alam ko kong taga saan ang mga players na manlalaro sa pab hangang sa below 6 feet basketball league:lol:

may paid advertisement sa isang dailies ang Beda Red Lions nuong nakaraang araw tungkol sa sagupaan nila nitong Baste'.
laro lang naman ito at stress test sa basketbol ala maximum tolerance nuon ni jinggoy at goma :)

naalala ko pa noon nung nagkasagupa itong feu at la salle. matapos talulin ng huli itong una sa championship game eh dinayo pa sila ng mga nagsipanalong taga taft at nagparada pa hanggang sa morayta kaya hayun, nakatikim ng pambabato at hinabol pa sila hanggang sa recto avenue at pinagboo-boo.

sa larong basketbolahan, bawal ang 'mala-distritong laro' ...

sa madaling salita, laro lang :)

Ateneo vs. San Sebastian sa PCCL finals! :banana:

^^pabigay lang yun ng baste na game, andun ako sa dug out at kaibigan ko si coach topex, ano ka, yang play ng UV di uubra kong seseryosohin lang,practice game nag lang kasi walang kwenta kahit manalo pa ang baste, ano makukuha nila? syempre gusto nilang bigyan ng moral ang south at north ng mnaila para magkaroon ng lakas ng loob

kong ateneo at san beda walang puso, kaming augustinian may puso at damdamin, 3 point shot out lang young laro, tingnan nation and laro sa ateneo vs baste.

at isa pa, hindi ang magagaling ang taga cebu, yung samar,leyte,bohol,southern leyte at bukidnon ang mga star players sa cebu

dito naman sa manila, las pinas,manila,rizal,pampanga,tarlac,pangasinan at batangas

mahilig ako sa basketball kayat alam ko kong taga saan ang mga players na manlalaro sa pab hangang sa below 6 feet basketball league:lol:

lumabas na naman yung pagka Mr.-know-it-all mo kahit sa pccl website nagkalat ka dun, wala ka namang alam sa basketball. nakita mo ba kung gaano nila ginwardyahan si Fajardo? kahit San Beda's game it could go eiher way.

UV at UC ay iba Mr. Pretender.

wag kang masyadong magkalat sa pccl website it only shows how uneducated you are.