Is The Olympic Dream At Hand For Philippine Basketball?
Written by Major Tom
Filed under: Sports
July 28, 2007
Let’s talk sports. The 12-man Philippine basketball team is set to play at the FIBA Asia Men’s Championship tournament starting at 5:00 P.M this day, tousling with the much improved team from Iran. Thus, the so-called Philippine Olympic quest to send a basketball team to Beijing next year begins.
We have always known how China and South Korea had been lording basketball in the Asia region and generally, our team have played so laggardly against their tall and more agile players, losing by an average of 20 points. 20 points is huge in basketball and losing that much is often embarrassing.
But now, it is a little surprising to see a Philippine team that is not only so quick with their court movements but also can shoot from long-range as often as a winning team wants. Their performance in the recently-held William Jones Cup in Taipei had been surprising to say the least as they exhibited newly-found swiftness and accuracy from the field and defeating South Korea in the process, the very team that had caused a major heartbreak when we lose to them upon a late shot in the dying seconds in Busan Asian Games of 2002. Maybe, our quest of establishing a stronger presence in the basketball scene in Asia has improved by leaps and bounds.
Only there is an issue with the composition of this new Philippine basketball team as it is membered heavily by fil-am players like Danny Seigle, the very young Gabe Norwood, PBA Rookie of the Year Kelly Williams, Mike Pennisi and Asi Taulava. Read this very lively discussion in Boxing Scene. Ang tanong, dyahe ba na magpapadala tayo ng isang team na me halong fil-americans sa Tokushima? In my mind, it wouldn’t be so much of an issue. If other Asian teams have a problem with a Philippine team with Filipino Americans on the roster, then they should have no business in trying to qualify for the Olympics or the world championship where real Americans such as Kobe Bryant, Shaquille O’Neal and Tim Duncan would be playing.
The only issue in my mind this time is the usual lack of height of the Philippine basketball players, despite the inclusion of meztisos from America, where in the game of basketball would still be might for a shorter player, even if he can shoot at will, won’t hit even the net with a hulking opponent putting up a huge umbrella-like defense in front of him.
But the Olympics would always be there or the world championships. If not now, there’d be always a next time and with a quicker team and more fluid offense, hope would always be high.
height is might in the game of basketball. but even the swiftness is not just there. that of course i’m doing benchmarking on nba caliber.
Comment by pepe — July 28, 2007 @ 11:22 am
But I see great imrovements;we can start from that I believe…
Comment by Major Tom — July 28, 2007 @ 12:49 pm
Haaayyy…hirap talaga kasi andaming mas matatankad na lahi. Joining the olympics is the dream of every athlete. I hope we achieve that elusive medal. For me, ok lang if these fil-ams play for the Philippine team. Pinoy pa rin naman sila. Everything and everyone is going global these days.
Comment by ladybug — July 28, 2007 @ 1:51 pm
To ladybug: That’s what I see…sports is so global right now that it won’t matter if some athletes crisscross from one nationality to another, being of dual race.
Comment by Major Tom — July 28, 2007 @ 3:05 pm
grabe. i’m waiting to have my cynicism busted. hehe.
Comment by Atticus — July 28, 2007 @ 3:16 pm
It would have been a more ideal team if ours is comprised of mostly local talents. Much more exciting!
Comment by eric — July 28, 2007 @ 4:23 pm
I hope they can qualify this time. I have no problem with the fil-ams. This raises our standard a bit. Other countries are also enjoying the services of their half-breeds.
Comment by lazarus — July 28, 2007 @ 4:50 pm
On the other hand, I don’t know why we keep insisting on trying to excel in a game where height is might. If that’s the case then, one day we can expect a Pinoy team composed mostly of ‘mercenaries’ with just a drop or two of Pinoy blood in their veins…
Comment by snglguy — July 28, 2007 @ 6:28 pm
It is the Citizenship that qualifies an athlete to play for a country, so it is not an issue. Like the French Soccer team, most of them were African- Frenchmen..
But don’t you think the Money would be better spent in some other Sports where size and height would not affect the outcome more than the athletes trainings and preparations? (and performance enhancing drugs, lest get caught?)
It is really hard for a team which lack the Height and body, because they’ll be missing a lot of “second chance” points.
Comment by vic — July 28, 2007 @ 9:05 pm
To atticus: Me too, I hope I am wrong in my calculation. But they just lost their first game against a straight shooting Iran and even though it was merely a nailbiter, losing a very close game, it exposes their inexperience and lack of height and heft. They were shaky and rickety at most.
Comment by Major Tom — July 28, 2007 @ 9:21 pm
To eric: Some say that it would be ideal that way; but I guess, as the local basketball scene had evolved so much, it would stay that way for the years to come, like fil-am players are an existence like the wind.
Comment by Major Tom — July 28, 2007 @ 9:23 pm
If they can win against the China Team B tomorrow then there’d be hope although Jordan is even mightier than Iran.
Comment by Major Tom — July 28, 2007 @ 9:26 pm
To sngl: There’s a possibility that it’ll happen, pure fil-ams on the roster. But maybe, they wont be as forthcoming as that since it would create such an unusual setup—not ideal at all.
Comment by Major Tom — July 28, 2007 @ 9:29 pm
To vic: Indeed, I remember all too well that mighty French team with Zidane on the lead, so swooshy and successful.
The thing perhaps is that we have grown to love basketball more than the other discipline—just like boxing—that we kept at it even if often fail miserably. That is just our fate I guess.
Comment by Major Tom — July 28, 2007 @ 9:33 pm
Since height is so essential in basketball, perhaps Pinoys should focus on soccer where height isn’t as important.
Comment by Wil — July 29, 2007 @ 7:55 am
To Wil: That coould be a most sound suggestion…
Comment by Major Tom — July 29, 2007 @ 12:52 pm
Nalink na kita.
Comment by Richmond — July 29, 2007 @ 1:15 pm
Not really a big fan of the game but it’s nice to know that they improved themselves on the recent games. Yes we lack somehow on the height department here but I think we can o a gameplay were we could use speed as an advantage? (Wah. Watched too much “Slamdunk” anime before.. hehe) anyways, I hope we can have our presence even felt on the upcoming olympics
Comment by Ferdz — July 29, 2007 @ 5:13 pm
well if their citizenship isn’t an issue, why not? though a local team is much ideal, isn’t it?
i’m wondering why suddenly we can’t win any medal. biglang lumiit ba tayo or tumangkad at gumaling ang mga kapit-bansa?
Comment by ipanema — July 29, 2007 @ 8:16 pm
To Richmond: Thanks very much for that… :>
Comment by Major Tom — July 30, 2007 @ 6:05 am
To Ferdz: They’ve much improved on speed and quickness, that’s at least something we can depend on. But like their lost to Iran, they won’t have better shots with lanky opponents in front of them.
Comment by Major Tom — July 30, 2007 @ 6:08 am
To ipanema: It won’t be an issue because they had complete papers, including Philippine passports and with dual citizenship already allowed within our midst, problems wont arise on that issue.
And most of them—except Gabe Norwood who had just come from the States—are playing in local teams so they might as well be described as local teams or within it.
Comment by Major Tom — July 30, 2007 @ 6:13 am
Ay … that was so long ago … when we lorded it over Asian basketball.
I hope we can relive past glory. My sons are also upbeat about this team. Pero …
Comment by annamanila — July 31, 2007 @ 10:21 pm