It was pure as pure could be: UP is the champion of UAAP Season 87 men’s basketball!

Exhibiting both depth and grit, it was an epic struggle between the two current titans of Philippine collegiate basketball: the University of the Philippines (UP) Fighting Maroons and the De La Salle University Green Archers. 

It was Game 3 on Dec. 15, and like any other evenly matched struggle, the contest was not decided until the final buzzer sounded.

All throughout, it was basagan ng mukha, balyahan and asawahan, to use street lingo to describe the very physical game that culminated the rivalry two years in the making. Players were wrestling on the floor for the ball, falling and grimacing in pain after absorbing wayward elbows and flailing arms, bouncing off full body charges, limping away, and cramping up.

It was not even supposed to reach Game 3. It should have ended with Game 2, but La Salle survived by a hairline 76-75 edge because UP was less steady down that stretch. Now, there was no room to slacken, no excuse to flinch. It was do or die.

As he did in Game 2, La Salle head coach Topex Robinson did not begin with his best player, power forward Kevin Quiambao, in order to have the two big guys Michael Phillips and Henry Agunanne start and establish inside dominance early on. While it worked in Game 2, the adjustment may have led to pulling out Quiambao and subsequently not being able to reinsert him early enough during Game 3’s fourth-quarter closing minutes when the game was still in the balance. Nevertheless, even when on court, Quiambao was often locked down by the UP defense and had few scoring opportunities.

Right after tipoff, UP cranked up its offense in an effort to put the game away early. Employing fast breaks that La Salle tried to counter with full court presses and traps, UP attempted to score quickly with every possession. The intensity was at its height when UP was able to build a 14-point lead in the third quarter, with Gerry Abadiano racking up 7 straight points. (It was Abadiano who could have won Game 2 when he took a last-second heave—that missed.) But then, led by Quiambao, La Salle’s 3-pointers started falling and Phillips scored at will, enabling La Salle to pull abreast at 56-56 early in the fourth quarter. That’s when the UP triumvirate of Quentin Millora-Brown, JD Cagulangan and Francis Lopez combined for 8 points to pull ahead and give UP the cushion it needed. Lopez’s final 3-pointer was the dagger to La Salle’s heart and his shot to full redemption after his 4 missed free throws and turnover that enabled La Salle to hang on in Game 2.

UP did not reach the level of success it now commands in men’s basketball overnight. It was not even years. It was decades. There was a time when UP was the cellar-dweller in the Universities Athletic Association of the Philippines. It was so bad that finally winning a game after 27 straight losses merited a bonfire at UP’s Sunken Garden, apparently because a single win was just as hard to come by as a championship. (Of course, there was a roaring bonfire at the Sunken Garden on Dec. 16.)

Now everyone is all praise and thankful for the support of alumni, sponsors, the school administration and the entire UP community to afford a basketball program that attracts top-notch coaching and nurtures talented players.

Over the past four seasons, UP won the championship in the first, placed a close second (losing in Game 3s) to Ateneo de Manila University and La Salle in the second and third, and claimed dominance once more in the fourth. Not bad in a league where UP is the only state university and all the others are the country’s top private universities. It is, hopefully, a dynasty in the making.

“Is it the players or the coach?” my wife said when I gleefully shared the news that UP had won. She was wondering who was responsible for the victory and was voicing the basketball version of the “Is it the chicken or the egg” question. “The players,” I said. Actually, “both” would have been a fair answer, but that would not have sat well with her, as she does not like me taking a noncommittal stance.

In a sporting world where the level of competition is so high that victory is determined by a split second or the “breaks of the game,” the way basketball is, the winning edge is often determined by mental toughness and the all-consuming desire to win. “Second is bottom. Second is last,” I vaguely remember some win-obsessed movie character saying.

UP’’s coach, the aptly named Goldwin Monteverde, underlined the importance of mental toughness when he told his team: “Walang bibitaw. Let’s not stop. Just keep pounding.” Game adjustments were no longer paramount. It was mindset. Clearly, it is true that the formula for success is “99% perspiration and 1% inspiration.” That 1% is the mental toughness that provides the winning edge. 

Put in the drills, the hard work, and they will all bear fruit. Or not. As the player executes, there is no time for thought. Hit or miss. Win or lose. Play ball!

Read more: UP admin and University Council still at odds on UP-AFP accord

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In the team’s first FIBA-sanctioned game with coach Tim Cone at the helm, the Philippines overwhelmed Hong Kong, 94-64, to kick-start their campaign in the first window of the 2025 Asia Cup qualifiers at Tsuen Wan Stadium in Hong Kong on Thursday night.

Playing without two of their key rotation big men, the Filipinos banked on Kai Sotto’s unmatched size and Justin Brownlee’s ever-reliable presence to secure the resounding win.

Seven-time PBA most valuable player June Mar Fajardo and Japan B. League Asian import AJ Edu watched from the sidelines as Gilas aced its first test against the feisty Hong Kong side.

Their presence in the hardcourt was not missed much, however, as the 7-foot-3 Sotto anchored Gilas with great effectiveness, punishing Hong Kong in the paint and converting the home team’s fouls into seven of his 13 points.

Nobody on Hong Kong’s side was able to match up with the Gilas center, who snagged 15 rebounds to complete a double-double.

Duncan Reid—Sotto’s positional matchup—was limited to a measly five boards.

Cone’s decision to bring in Barangay Ginebra’s Japeth Aguilar as Sotto’s back-up also paid off in a big way. The veteran big man provided six points, three rebounds, and two steals in 11 minutes of play.

Gilas’ clunky start

The giant 30-point lead aside, the game was not as cut and dry as the statistics indicated. As dominant as the victory was, the Filipinos were off to a sluggish start, allowing Hong Kong to hang around in the first 15 minutes and change the game.

“We were quite surprised,” Cone admitted during the post-game press conference. 

“I thought we came out a little tentative. But in the second half, we kind of relaxed a little bit. [We] played better, defended better, and got on a little bit of a run. Our crowd gave us a bit of momentum, and we were lucky to get a run and take it through”

Brownlee finished with a team-high 16 points, along with seven rebounds and seven assists. It was a respectable production, but there’s no denying that he looked far from the hero of the 19th Asian Games.

“He really struggled at the beginning of the game,” Cone said of the Gilas naturalized player.

“You can tell he had a little bit of rust. He hasn’t played a game in like four months, so he had a lot of rust to brush off, and that’s why we continued to play him in the fourth quarter.”

“It was really great to see him in the second half really get his rhythm [back].”

Sotto ready

Sotto, who many are touting as the best basketball prospect the country has ever produced, is slowly settling in with the Yokohama B-Corsairs of the Japan B.League.

As Yokohama’s starting center, the former Ateneo Blue Eaglet is finally showing flashes of the player his fans hope he would become—a dominant scoring presence in the paint and a matchup nightmare for rebounders.

Just before he flew home to Manila, the 21-year-old Sotto logged back-to-back outstanding performances in consecutive games against the Chiba Jets. In his third game as a starter earlier this month, he produced 18 points and 10 rebounds in 25 minutes of play. 

As if determined to prove that his performance wasn’t a fluke, the Filipino sensation outdid his previous outing, tallying another double-double with 26 markers and 11 boards in the very next game.

“I’m happy that I’ve been used more in my last two games,” Sotto said. “I have always had a huge belief in myself every time I step onto the court. So every time I play, have full confidence in what I can do.”

Sotto believes he only needed the increased minutes of play to prove what he can truly bring to the table. With Fajardo and Edu out for this window, an increased playing time he shall receive.

“I wanted to play for Gilas, but the doctor told me to focus on recovery,” the 6’10 Fajardo said during the national team’s send-off event on Monday. “I’m trying my best to speed up my healing process so I can join the team as soon as possible.”

A fixture of the Gilas program since 2013, Fajardo sustained a calf injury in the recently concluded PBA Commissioner’s Cup finals. 

Edu, on the other hand, has been on the shelf since he tore his meniscus in December. Gilas’ breakout star during the 2023 FIBA World Cup promised he’d be ready to suit up once the Olympic Qualifiers roll through. But for now, the only support he can provide the team is of the moral variety.

This means the pressure is on the nationals’ young big men to provide sturdy interior defense and reliable scoring in the paint. Much of these responsibilities will now fall on the shoulders of youngsters Carl Tamayo and especially Sotto.

“We’re missing two key players so the rest will have to step up,” Sotto told reporters earlier. “Everybody’s up to the task, so I’m confident in our team right now.”

Short big-men rotation

With a very short big-men rotation, Cone expects Tamayo and even Kevin Quiambao, to a certain extent, to play out of position for some stretches.

“We love our size even though we will be missing June Mar and AJ Edu,” said Cone, the PBA’s winningest head coach. “You think about that—that’s 6’11 and 6’10 that we won’t have.”

“[Aguilar] is a godsend because we really lost a lot of size [after] losing June Mar and AJ, so Japeth being able to back up Kai is going to be really big for us,” Cone said. “Carl Tamayo is our third-string center, so he might have to play out of position. But these are the things that happen in any basketball team.”

Gilas will lock horns with Chinese Taipei in a home game on Sunday, Feb. 25. With more size than Hong Kong, the No.16-ranked basketball team in Asia is expected to present a tougher challenge for Gilas.

If Sotto is right, the upcoming showdown against the Taiwanese should serve as the ultimate showcase of his development.

The post Kai Sotto dominates as Gilas crushes Hong Kong appeared first on CoverStory.

A legend at the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA), Lim died on Dec. 23 at 61, surrounded by loved ones. On Nov. 28, 2014, he fell into a coma following a cardiac arrest during an exhibition game with friends and former PBA colleagues at Ynares Sports Arena in Pasig City. He emerged from the coma after nearly two months in intensive care, and spent the rest of his life mostly confined to a bed and a wheelchair.

The 5’11” Lim made an indelible mark in the PBA for his “hang time” and aerial acrobatics that earned him the moniker “Skywalker.” Before he was chosen third overall pick in the 1986 PBA Draft, he was instrumental in helping Colegio de San Juan de Letran win three straight National Collegiate Athletic Association Championship titles from 1982 to 1984, in which he also won the Most Valuable Player plum.

He played shooting guard and occasional small forward, suiting up for the San Miguel Beermen from 1986 to 1997 and helping the team win nine championships, including the rare grand slam—Open Conference, All-Filipino Conference, and Reinforced Conference—in 1989.

He was selected to play for the PBA All-Star five times (in 1989, 1990, 1992, 1993 and 1996) and won the All-Star MVP trophy in 1990 after scoring 42 points for Team Veteran.

25 greatest

Lim retired from the pro league in 1997, after a brief stint with Welcoat House Paint of the Philippine Basketball League. With his No. 9 jersey retired by the San Miguel Beermen, he was named among the PBA’s 25 Greatest Players when the league celebrated its 25th anniversary in 2000.

In 2009, he was inducted into the PBA Hall of Fame. In 2015, he was included in the PBA’s 40 Greatest Players.

Lim would also make a mark in international competitions. Back in 1984, while playing for the Philippine flag, he and his Northern Cement team won the gold in the Asian Basketball Club Championship of the Asian Basketball Confederation (now the FIBA Asia Champions Cup) in Ipoh, Malaysia.

The following year, in 1985, he helped Team Philippines win the gold in the FIBA Asia Championship where he was voted among the All-Star Team together with fellow Filipino Allan Caidic, who won the MVP award.

Lim was also in the roster that won the bronze in the 1986 Asian Games in Seoul, and the silver in the 1990 Asian Games in Beijing.

He would likewise help Team Philippines win the gold in the 1983 and 1985 Southeast Asian Games held in Singapore and Bangkok, respectively.

Elusive MVP award

With all these achievements and awards under Lim’s belt, there was one that eluded him: the PBA MVP trophy.

There’s one reason for this and it all boiled down to his style of play. His offense was predicated on creativity, usually when he was high in the air. It didn’t matter how many defenders he had to deal with or how he would land on the hardcourt, as long as the ball in his hand sailed unobstructed into the ring.

Thus, he never completed a season with the San Miguel Beermen without an injury, mainly in the shoulders and legs. The most horrific would be during the 1989 televised game against Purefoods at the Ultra (now PhilSports Arena) in Pasig. Lim was going for a layup when he was clotheslined by Jojo Lastimosa who was trying to swipe the ball but instead hit Lim on the head. The strike to Lim’s head was so hard that he spun midair and crashed face first on the wooden floor. Concussed and bloodied, he had to be rushed to hospital to close a deep cut near his left forehead.

Lim’s do-or-die game style earned him many fans, who refer to him as the “real MVP.” Even the Italians would never forget him: He almost single-handedly defeated the famed Banco di Roma in the 1985 World Basketball Club Championship in Gerona, Spain.

In what would be his greatest international performance, he scored 37 points for the San Miguel Beer/Philippines and stunned the top Italian club, 98-79. During breaks he was seen breathing through an oxygen mask to fight off an asthma attack and extreme exhaustion.

That was Samboy Lim to his fans and countrymen. Will the Philippines’ pro basketball league ever see another like him?

The post Samboy Lim, ‘Skywalker,’ 61 appeared first on CoverStory.

He explained his decision to let the public in on the practice session: to help the team become fully aware that they would be playing not only for the country but also for their supporters.

This is only the second time a coach allowed the public to watch a Gilas practice session, after Yeng Guiao in 2019.

‘Déjà vu’

Gilas badly needs victory at the Asian Games, and for Cone, getting chosen to lead a seemingly impossible task is nothing new. It’s deja vu all over again––as the American baseball great Yogi Berra would say––for the 65-year-old coach now known as the most successful coach in the history of the Philippine Basketball Association.

It was 1998 when Cone was called to lead a “redeem team” after the Philippine basketball program hit a low point. Back then, the basketball-crazy nation was still hurting from the national team’s 9^th finish (out of 15) in the 1997 edition of the FIBA-Asia Championship held in Riyadh. In 1995, the country ended up 12th (out of 19) in the same tournament held in Seoul.

“I did this once before, in 1998 … ,” Cone recalled at an introductory press conference held on Sept. 7 at the PBA headquarters in Libis, Quezon City. “Believe it or not, 1998 is always in my mind, all the time. It was such a hard undertaking at the time. Just to come here and do it again kind of takes my breath away.” 

Cone was the obvious choice then to lead a powerhouse team to the Asian Games because of his winning streak in the PBA. In that 1998 season alone, he was on course to achieve the rare second grand slam, or winning all three conference tournaments in a single season, as his Alaska Milkmen had already won two.

The Centennial Team started strong in the preparation, getting the gold medal in the 1998 Jones Cup. But Cone and his squad fell short at the Asian Games, settling for the bronze after getting beaten by South Korea during the quarterfinal match and then by China in the semifinal match.

Nevertheless, it was the Philippines’ best finish since the 1990 Asian Games when it won the silver behind coach Robert Jaworski. The players included the likes of Allan Caidic and Samboy Lim.

Cone again led a Gilas team in 2019, helping the Philippines to a gold-medal victory in the 30th Southeast Asian Games held in Manila.

Experience

Cone, who served as assistant to coach Chot Reyes at the just-concluded FIBA World Cup, has explained why he accepted this post despite being quoted earlier that he would decline an appointment as Gilas head coach if Reyes stepped down (which was what happened after Gilas’ lone FIBA World Cup win versus China on Sept. 2).

Said Cone: “I think I should make it clear that I joined the World Cup team aside from the obvious––giving back to the country which I’ve grown up in …. [First], to serve my friend, coach Reyes, and second, to gain more experience and growth in terms of … being part of the World Cup, seeing the World Cup, and watching all the other coaches coach, and being with these supertalented players that we had, and the players we were playing against.”

In an interview on Noli Eala’s “Power and Play” radio show, Reyes confirmed that Cone had reached out to seek his approval for the job: “I was the No. 1 person convincing him to take the job, telling everybody in the SBP (Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas), in the PBA, that the best man for the job is Tim …. I’m very glad that Tim has relented and changed his mind and accepted it. Now I think we put ourselves in a good position to really do well in the Asian Games.”

For Cone, whatever is going to happen will happen. Gilas will participate in the 16-team tournament that will run from Sept. 26 (group phase) to Oct. 6 (medal round). Gilas is set to play Bahrain first on Sept. 26, then Thailand on the 28th and finally Jordan on the 29th.

Gilas, among the favorites in the Asian Games, may face champion China who is bent on defending its regional supremacy and will perhaps seek retribution for its defeat to the Philippine team in the 2023 FIBA World Cup.

Lineup

At the practice session, Cone expressed satisfaction with the Gilas lineup: FIBA World Cup veterans June Mar Fajardo, Japeth Aguilar and Roger Pogoy, now reinforced by naturalized Filipino Justin Brownlee, Calvin Abueva and Terrence Romeo, Jason Perkins, and both Calvin Oftana and Chris Newsome, who were cut from the last edition of the squad. Not present that afternoon but will be in the lineup are Scottie Thompson, Mo Tautuaa, Ange Kouame and Stanley Pringle, who continues practicing with the squad despite his role as an alternate (13th man).

Cone said this lineup could swing into different positions to be able to deal with the big and powerful Middle Eastern teams and with China and at the same time handle the quicker and faster lineups of Korea and Japan.

He particularly remembered 1998 when the coaching staff was preparing the Centennial Team to face China, believing that by designing a team that could take the regional powerhouse, the gold would come easily. It was a mistake, he acknowledged. While they did beat Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan during the elimination round, and the United Arab Emirates and Thailand in the quarterfinals, the team neglected to prepare against Korea’s smaller but quicker lineup.

The Centennial Team was routed by Korea, 83-103, in the quarterfinals, which put them on an early collision course with China in the semifinals. They lost by seven points––73-82––dropping the Philippines to the bronze-medal game with Kazakhstan.

It was the last time the Philippines took home a medal in men’s basketball at the Asian Games.

But Cone is aiming to break the chain of misfortunes in international games this year. “[With a few days more of practice] I think we’re going to be where we want to be,” he said.

The post Calm before the storm, no panic for coach Cone appeared first on CoverStory.

It’s one win that meant little in terms of the standing at the 2023 FIBA Basketball World Cup, but so much for millions of Filipinos unhappy with the state of their national basketball program and aching for relief from a string of defeats.  

Before an 11,000-plus crowd that packed the Smart-Araneta Coliseum last night (Sept. 2), Gilas Pilipinas crushed regional powerhouse China, 96-75, emerging victorious from their fifth and last game in the quadrennial tournament.

As Gilas’ first win against China since the 2014 FIBA Asia Cup, it was a tremendous breakthrough for a team that lost their first four 2023 World Cup games—against the Dominican Republic, Angola, Italy and South Sudan—in heartbreaking fashion. With it, the Philippines has evaded becoming the first host country in 41 years to go winless, after Colombia in 1982. (The Philippines also lost in all its eight matches when it hosted the quadrennial tournament in 1978.)

Gilas is now sure to finish between 21st and 24^th—a slight improvement from finishing dead last (32nd) while accumulating the worst point differential in the entire tournament (-147 points) at the 2019 FIBA World Cup.

Best performance

Expectedly, Gilas banked on Filipino American and Utah Jazz superstar Jordan Clarkson, who caught fire in the third quarter, dropping 24 points—including five consecutive 3-pointers—that created a 22-point cushion for the Philippines, 73-51, entering the fourth and final quarter.

Clarkson finished the game with 34 points, 2 rebounds and 3 assists—his best in five outings. He received solid support from his teammates including Rhenz Abando (14 points, 5 rebounds), Kai Sotto (12 points, 6 rebounds), Dwight Ramos, who was celebrating his 25th birthday (11 points, 5 rebounds, 4 assists, and 2 steals), Ariel John Edu (5 points, 10 rebounds, 3 assists), and Scottie Thompson (4 points, 4 rebounds, 4 assists).

Related : Philippines pulls out all the stops for FIBA World Cup

China was led by Chinese American and Minnesota Timberwolves forward Kyle Anderson, using his Chinese name Li Kaier, who finished the game with 17 points, 9 rebounds and 5 assists.

The game was pumped-up and dramatic, with audience reaction on full volume. Did the mere fact that they were playing against China make Gilas Pilipinas see red? Clarkson, for one, must have remembered that China denied him a win in his debut for Gilas in the 2018 Asian Games. And among the audience, perhaps many Filipinos were remembering China’s incursions in the West Philippine Sea.

Despite Gilas’ 9 turnovers and many flubbed 3-pointers, they kept the game close and ended the first half trailing by just one, 40-39. 

But with 4:48 minutes remaining in the third quarter and with Gilas slightly ahead, 51-48, Clarkson delivered two quick shots under the basket. What followed next was particularly deflating for China: Clarkson suddenly erupted with five straight 3-pointers in under three minutes. 

In the third quarter alone, Gilas outscored China, 34-11.

Paris Olympics

Here’s the standing so far: Japan failed to make it to the Round of 16 but, with three wins out of five—the best record from Asia—clinched the lone outright Asian spot for the 2024 Paris Olympics.

Australia and South Sudan hold the best record in Oceania and Africa, respectively. Both also failed to reach the Round of 16, along with France, but with the latter still gaining a slot in the Paris Olympics for being a host nation in the quadrennial event.

The four other slots are for the two best finishers from Europe and the Americas, which will be known when the FIBA World Cup 2023 holds the championship round next week.

What about Gilas Pilipinas? With only four slots available in the FIBA World Olympic Qualifying Tournaments, they will now have to perform their best against 23 other teams, including superior teams Argentina and Croatia as well as others that did not qualify in this edition of the World Cup.

Adding to this complication is the fact that Gilas head coach Chot Reyes announced in a postgame press conference that he would be stepping down and had served notice to the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas even before the team’s match against China.

With this development, Gilas is currently without a head coach for the Asian Games, which will run on Sept. 23-Oct. 8 in China.

The post Gilas Pilipinas trounces China, 96-75, salvages FIBA World Cup pride appeared first on CoverStory.

Even gymnastics star Carlos Yulo’s medal haul of two golds and two silvers or the 58th gold medal that kickboxer Claudine Veloso won for the Philippines could not have eased the nation’s sorrow had Gilas Pilipinas men’s basketball team failed to defeat a souped-up Cambodian quintet in the 5×5 basketball final on May 16.

Even the fact that Gilas Pilipinas had to face a team reinforced by five naturalized players from the United States and two Cambodian American players was not sufficient reason to soothe a basketball-mad nation like the Philippines.

But after trouncing Cambodia, 80-69, in the gold medal match at the 32nd Southeast Asian Games in Phnom Penh, Gilas Pilipinas head coach Chot Reyes had every right to heave a sigh of relief. In an interview with Olympics.com, he recalled how the Philippine team looked helpless against the host team during the May 11 group stage match and lost, 79-68: “There were those who doubted this team after that first defeat to Cambodia. But I can tell you, in the dugout, what I told the players was that it was a defeat that was required. We needed that defeat to bring that fire.”

Reyes, who came under intense scrutiny after the loss to Cambodia, said this match was about redemption after last year’s SEA Games in Hanoi, when the national team suffered the unthinkable: Indonesia ending the Philippines’ 31-year regional dominance with a shock gold-medal win.

Related : 19 golds so far, but it’s a rough road ahead for Philippines at SEA Games

PH in 5^th place

Gilas Pilipinas’ victory is the Philippines’ 56^th in Phnom Penh. As the 32^nd SEA Games came to a close on May 17, the Philippines placed fifth in the tally with 58 golds, 86 silvers, and 116 bronzes, for a total of 260 medals. 

The host country usually ends up among the top performers, but first-time SEA Games host Cambodia only finished fourth in the ranking with 81 golds, 74 silvers, and 127 bronzes for a total of 282 medals. Still, it is a big achievement for Cambodia, which won only 9 golds, 13 silvers and 41 bronzes for a total of 63 medals in Hanoi. In fact, in all its 21 previous appearances at the SEA Games, Cambodia won only 78 golds.

For the second consecutive SEA Games, Vietnam maintained its dominance, this time with 136 golds, 105 silvers, and 114 bronzes for a total of 355 medals. 

The Philippines finished fourth in Hanoi, but in this edition of the regional meet, it wrapped up its campaign with six more gold medals—its best overseas performance since the 14th (1987) SEA Games in Jakarta, when it came home with 59 golds.

The Philippine contingent rallied during the final four days of the meet (May 13-16), bagging 27 golds in taekwondo, boxing, weightlifting, arnis, kickboxing, and wrestling.

Wrestlers Jason Balabal (men’s Greco Roman 87 kg), Maria Cristina Vergara (women’s freestyle 65 kg), Alvin Lobreguito (men’s freestyle 57 kg), and Ronil Tubog (men’s freestyle 61 kg) each won gold in their respective categories. 

Pro boxer turned kickboxer Gretel de Paz got hers from winning the women’s low kick 56 kg event. De Paz’s gold medal was the second for Team Philippines in kickboxing after Jean Claude Saclag triumphed in the men’s low kick 63.5-kg division on May 15. The last gold medal for the team and for the Philippines (58th) came courtesy of Veloso in kickboxing’s female 52-kg event.

On the last day of the SEA Games, Trixie Mary Lofranco ruled the women’s individual anyo non-traditional open weapon in arnis, capping the successful campaign of fellow arnisadors Dexler Bolambao, Maria Ella Alcoseba, Charlotte Ann Tolentino and Jedah Mae Soriano. Together they collected five of the 12 golds in the event regarded as the Philippines’ national sport and martial art.

In boxing, Tokyo Olympians Carlo Paalam (men’s 54 kg) and Nesthy Petecio (women’s 57 kg) topped their respective events to both win their second SEA Games gold medals. Meanwhile, Ian Clark Bautista (men’s 57 kg), who last won the gold during the Singapore (2015) SEA Games, got his second while Paul Bascon (men’s 60 kg) finally got his very first gold.

More gold medals

Philippine taekwondo amassed six gold medals: Patrick Perez won one in the men’s individual recognized poomsae while the trio of Jocel Ninobla, Nicole Labayne, and Aidaine Laxa grabbed another in the women’s team event. Four more came from individual performances of Tokyo Olympian Kurt Barbosa (men’s 54 kg) Arven Alcantara (men’s 68 kg), Samuel Morrison (men’s 87 kg), and Rio Olympian Kirstie Elaine Alora (women’s 73 kg) on May 13.

Of course, Team Philippines’ performance in Phnom Penh would have been perfect had Gilas Pilipinas women’s 5×5 succeeded in their golden three-peat bid. The quintet eventually settled for the silver when they succumbed to a 21-point blowout (89-68) against Indonesia. They slipped to a 3-1 record while Indonesia remained undefeated, 4-0, in the round-robin tournament where medal standings are determined by win-loss records.

Another heartbreak was the campaign of the Philippine women’s volleyball team that again had to settle for fourth place, falling to Indonesia in four sets, 20-25, 25-22, 22-25, 23-25, during their bronze-medal match on May 14. A bronze-medal finish would have sufficed for the Philippines because the Thai team, ranked 15th in the world, has dominated this event for 14 successive SEA Games—a run that dates back to the 18th (1995) SEA Games in Chiangmai when it beat the Philippines.

Perhaps, some important realizations would result from the Philippines’ losses in other events in the 32^nd SEA Games, such as volleyball, so we can move mountains and add more to our gold-medal tally in the next meet in Thailand come December 2025.

The post Gilas’ redemption and 6 more golds for the Philippines in Phnom Penh appeared first on CoverStory.

The Lakers called a time-out with just under nine minutes left in the game, knowing fully well that their next basket would set an NBA record.

At the resumption of the game, Lakers point guard Earvin “Magic” Johnson received the ball and dribbled to the right side of the floor before throwing a quick pass to his teammate Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. The then 36-year-old center only needed to shake off a double-team, spinning his 7’2″ frame on the baseline for his patented sky hook, making the 31,420^th point in his career.

What ensued was a celebration by his teammates and the sell-out crowd of 18,359 fans as Abdul-Jabbar broke the then NBA all-time scoring record held by the Philadelphia Warriors’ Wilt Chamberlain.

Abdul-Jabbar would play five more years. By the time he suited up for the final regular season game of his incredible 20-year career (14 years with the Lakers, previously with the Milwaukee Bucks from 1969 to 1975), he would accumulate 38,387 career points—a feat that would not be matched for the next 39 years.

38,388^th point

Related: Gilas Pilipinas lives and dies with Jordan Clarkson

The inevitable occurred last Feb. 7, when Laker forward LeBron James made a fallaway 15-footer with 10.9 seconds left in the third quarter of the game with the Oklahoma Thunder in Los Angeles.

With that shot, James made his 38,388th point; just like what happened more than three decades ago, the game was paused to give way to a ceremony marking the basketball milestone.

Abdul-Jabbar, now 75, witnessed the moment. He later joined James on the court and handed the 38-year-old a ball symbolizing the passing of the all-time NBA scoring record to another great player.

Hours after that once-in-a-generation achievement, Abdul-Jabbar posted on his Substack platform a letter expressing his feelings about the latter’s feat: “It’s as if I won a billion dollars in a lottery and 39 years later someone won two billion dollars. How would I feel? Grateful that I won and happy that the next person also won. His winning in no way affects my winning.” 

Last October, with James just 1,243 points behind Abdul-Jabbar on the all-time list, Magic Johnson was quoted in a podcast saying it would be a hard pill for Abdul-Jabbar to swallow if James broke his record.

Abdul-Jabbar refuted Johnson’s statement and explained that he might have been bothered by the record-breaking feat if he were as competitive as he used to be. 

“But that ain’t me today,” he wrote. “I’m 75. The only time I ever think of the record is when someone brings it up. I retired from the NBA 34 years ago. For the past 20 years, I’ve occupied myself with social activism, my writing career, and my family—especially my three grandchildren. If I had a choice of having my scoring record remain intact for another hundred years or spend one afternoon with my grandchildren, I’d be on the floor in seconds stacking Legos and eating Uncrustables.”

Zen mindset

This Zen mindset has contributed immensely to Abdul-Jabbar, who was able to not only survive the rigors of the game but also function at the highest level. He started practicing yoga when he was in high school.

“It takes unbelievable drive, dedication, and talent to survive in the NBA long enough to rack up that number of points when the average NBA career lasts only 4.5 years,” he wrote. “It’s not just about putting the ball through the hoop, it’s about staying healthy and skilled enough to climb the steep mountain in ever-thinning oxygen over many years when most other players have tapped out.” 

Interestingly, James shares Abdul-Jabbar’s appreciation and practice of the ancient Hindu discipline, crediting it for his ability to overcome cramps in Game 2 of the 2014 NBA Finals against the San Antonio Spurs.

But yoga is not the only factor that helped the two greats reach such a milestone. One crucial similarity is their lifelong passion for learning, having realized that their bodies would age but they could always sharpen their minds, evolving their skill sets as the seasons passed.

Abdul-Jabbar, a 6-time NBA champion, is into martial arts (he was a student and close friend of the legendary Bruce Lee), shuns tobacco products, and keeps his weight under control. James reportedly spends a whopping $1.5 million (that’s almost P82 million) a year in terms of training, recovery, a diet of healthy, nutritious food, and a 4-day-a-week workout routine. He even adheres to a strict nap schedule and is said to keep a pitch-black room with a humidifier near his bed.

Dedication to recovery has undoubtedly aided James’ longevity, as it did Abdul-Jabbar’s. The latter didn’t have the same luxuries and amenities that today’s players enjoy, but he logged an astounding 57,446 minutes played (first in ranking), and took part in 1,560 games (ranked second) for 20 straight years, playing against some of the best, most physical big men in hoops history. 

James, now on his 20th year and seeking his fifth NBA championship ring, has logged 53,742 minutes (currently third) and played 1,410 games (currently ninth).

Comparisons

With these breath-taking records, comparisons between the two greats come naturally.

The young Lew Alcindor converted to Islam in 1971 and took the name Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, which means “generous, powerful servant for Allah.” He is considered the greatest college player of all time and racked up records and accolades during his four years at the University of California Los Angeles: three NCAA championships, three NCAA Tournament Most Outstanding Player awards, and two AP Player of the Year honors (not to mention two Sporting News Player of the Year awards).

Under his leadership, the UCLA Bruins went undefeated in 1967, going 30-0 and winning the national championship, then 29-1 in 1968 and 1969 for each season.

On the other hand, James did not attend college. The world came to know him live on ESPN in 2002 when, as a 17-year-old phenom playing for St. Vincent-St. Mary, he helped trounce high school’s then No. 1-ranked Oak Hill Academy with a score of 65-45, after registering 31 points, 13 rebounds and 6 assists.

He was dubbed “The Chosen One” while still in high school and has since been in the public eye, subject to intense hype and pressure. It’s said that Nike signed him to a $90 million contract even before he played his first NBA game.

It’s no wonder that whatever “King James” says is scrutinized by everyone, something that Abdul-Jabbar was spared from during his playing days. But then he was known to give curt answers during postgame interviews.

Eventually Abdul-Jabbar became more open, discussing his life, answering questions, writing best-selling books and newspaper commentaries, and talking about the mentors who helped him achieve his goals — civil rights heroes Malcolm X and Martin Luther King, his legendary college coach and lifelong friend John Wooden, and fellow superstar athletes Muhammad Ali and Chamberlain. In 2016 he received the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

Covid-19

In 2020, Abdul-Jabbar took exception to James’ support of the Golden State Warriors’ Andrew Wiggins who had expressed opposition to getting vaccinated against Covid-19, as well as for James’ sharing a meme on Instagram that likened the coronavirus infection to getting the flu or the common cold. 

Wrote Abdul-Jabbar: “Those who claim they need to ‘do more research’ are simply announcing they have done no research… This position only perpetuates the stereotype of the dumb jock who’s only in sports for the money.” (He eventually apologized, saying that he had tremendous respect for James, and adding that if James could accept that, he would be happy.)

In his Substack post, Abdul-Jabbar said his good opinion of James had grown in the two years since, and observed that James’ “passion for social justice and bettering his community has only increased—and his athleticism has soared to a whole other level of performance.” 

“Bottom line about LeBron and me: LeBron makes me love the game again,” Abdul-Jabbar wrote. “And he makes me proud to be part of an ever-widening group of athletes who actively care about their community.”

James, likely already thinking about what’s next, said he definitely would love to play way past the age of 42, when Abdul-Jabbar played his last NBA game, and when his eldest son, Bronny, would become eligible for the NBA draft.

 He has expressed the desire to share the same playing floor as his son before retiring.

Of course, James is also driven to keep playing until 42 to be able to win another title. At that age, Abdul-Jabbar was able to win three more of his total six rings after surpassing Chamberlain’s scoring title.

The post LeBron, Kareem make indelible moments in NBA history appeared first on CoverStory.

It could have been any of those in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) match between the College of St. Benilde Blazers and the Jose Rizal University (JRU) Heavy Bombers last Nov. 8. 

The Blazers were way ahead by 20 points with only 3 minutes 22 seconds left in the fourth quarter. Migs Oczon sank a 3-pointer and, in the ensuing rebound play, JRU’s John Anthony Walker Amores and Benilde’s CJ Flores got entangled on the floor, prompting the JRU coaching staff to move their 6-foot-2 forward off the court to de-escalate the heated situation.

But Amores, still restless on the JRU bench, segued into a shouting match with a person at the far side of the court. And what could have been just a small flare-up turned into a forest fire when he quickly headed to the Benilde bench and started throwing punches. He missed Mark Sanco and Oczon but landed two solid punches on Jimboy Pasturan’s face and Taine Davis’ jaw. 

Things quieted down only after bouncers escorted Amores to the dugout and, later, to the JRU bus. With the game paused, the Blazers were ruled the winners.

Videos of Amores’ rampage went viral and made up the next day’s sports headlines. Inevitably, it was revealed that four months prior, he also sparked a bench-clearing brawl after punching University of the Philippines (UP) Fighting Maroons’ Mark Belmonte during the PG Flex-UCBL Invitational Tournament, a supposed friendly match.

No thanks to Amores’ furious fist, 18-year-old Belmonte was rushed to hospital with a gum fracture, dislocated teeth, and mouth lacerations. The incident prompted the UP men’s basketball team management to file a criminal case against Amores

Interestingly, in that July 26 match, JRU was being pummeled by UP, and in the midst of a 15-2 run. The score was 52-41, with only 2 minutes 12 seconds remaining in the game.

Related: Gilas Pilipinas lives and dies with Jordan Clarkson

Not unique

A bent for boorishness and violence is not exactly unique to college basketball. Remember that disgraceful brawl midway through the third quarter of the FIBA World Cup qualifier match between Gilas Pilipinas and Australia on July 2, 2018?

Gilas Pilipinas was down by 31 points, 79-48, when it exchanged punches with the Australian visitors.

As many as 13 players (9 from the Philippines) were tossed out of the game. Australia won by default because Gilas could field only 3 players with 14 minutes left to play. International sports news outlets, still reeling from earlier reports on NBA star Lebron James’ transfer to the Los Angeles Lakers, picked up on the chaos at the Philippine Arena.

Soon after the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas and Basketball Australia apologized to the worldwide basketball community for bringing the sport “into disrepute,” the players from the Philippines, all professionals, returned to their respective teams and went on with their lives and their lucrative careers as though nothing had happened.

No such luxury

Amores is enjoying no such luxury. The 23-year-old forward who contemplated basketball as a career is facing a bleak future considering that he has been expelled from JRU’s sports programs and his privileges as a student-athlete have been cancelled.

He also faces fresh charges of physical injury, filed by Pasturan and Davis at the San Juan City Prosecutor’s Office last Nov. 11.

In an interview with “Playitright” hosts Quinito Henson and Dyan Castillejo, Amores said he was dealing with problems at home and missing his year-old baby girl at the time of his on-court rampage. (He did not elaborate on why he was separated from his child.}

He also said he was now into mental health counselling (two sessions already)—an apparent effort to assure the public of his sincerity to restart his life, and perhaps his basketball career.

But while Amores still has two playing years left as a college basketball player, his chances of suiting up are “slim,” according to sources in the NCAA.

Nothing like Jaworski, Reynoso?

It would be helpful if he were an established and exceptional athlete like Robert Jaworski and Big Boy Reynoso, then Meralco players who were both slapped with a lifetime ban on Dec. 21, 1971, after assaulting two referees during a Manila Industrial and Commercial Athletic Association match. 

It was the first suspension for life in the history of Philippine basketball. But two years later, the ban on Jaworski and Reynoso was lifted, with the Basketball Association of the Philippines deciding that they had “suffered enough.” Besides, the Philippines needed their talent as the country was hosting the 1973 Asian Basketball Confederation Championships (now the FIBA Asia Championship). True enough, the two men proved vital in the home team’s capture of the Asian crown at the Araneta Coliseum; they were part of the last Filipino squad of purely homegrown players to win the continental title.

Maybe Amores should look to these two basketball legends for inspiration (they stand 6-foot-2 like him). Now that his basketball future is in limbo, he should use this downtime to finally deal with that infamous on-court temper of his. 

At the same time, if he still loves the sport, he should develop new skills that would make him interesting to professional league scouts. (In his last game, he contributed only 4 points on 1-for-12 shooting and 5 rebounds.) 

Like Jaworski and Reynoso in 1971, Amores’ fate may seem murky at the moment. But perhaps it’s not yet the end of his story.

The post When you let your fists do the talking appeared first on CoverStory.