Manila Invitationals, foul-mouths among us and Tim - the dull

• The finals game is set between the RP Team and the Lebanese (again) after China was unceremoniously booted by Khatib and company to finish 3rd in quotient comparison.
  
• Drum roll, please. Finally saw a live basketball game yesterday courtesy of a most generous friend who is privy to the ins and outs of Philippine basketball. Unfortunately, this was the result.
  
• My thoughts, though not in any remarkable order
• Araneta coliseum, as a venue for great Filipino basketball, isn't great at all. Sure the playing court does serve its purpose but everything else is simply dirty and poorly-maintained. No wonder attendance is at a low, notwithstanding the level of play right now in the pro league.
• Watching games gives you access to sit with TV and movie female celebrities, who I guess are on the prowl of drafting (more of ensnaring) a gullible millionaire player. Nevertheless, these women add entertainment value to the games and being seated at quality patron seats, just a seat across SBP top brass, Mr. "MVP' Pangilinan makes you feel like royalty.
• Differences in height of about 3 inches really isn't that pronounced looking at players up close. I guess positioning, jumping ability and over-all athletic skills and 'determination' more than makes up for perceived physical disadvantages. Mark Caguioa was quite the spark on how he makes his way even among the tall and young Chinese. And I'm glad Asi wa able to find a wife considering the burden of sharing a bed his size.
• Lastly, and this really burst my bubble, there are quite a number of fans who ruin the game by shouting invectives by the minute (mostly at the poor referees) as if they own the country and would make excellent game officials, themselves. And they are not the ones in the bleachers. And to think there are plenty of kids. Nope, watching a basketball game live isn't for the family, unless you'd like to teach about sportsmanship, not. If I do remember, this is still a basketball game and we are not looking at any life-saving situation and this won't show us the way towards eliminating poverty.

• There's not much you can read about him and most articles allude to him as 'exciting as a brocolli' But not only is he a certified basketball all-time great, yet he also isn't a superstar by our typical definition. In his own words, Tim Duncan.
  

"A Good Loss"

This statement came from RP Team coach Chot Reyes after the team absorbed another setback from emerging Asian basketball power, Jordan in yesterday's Jones Cup match.

Watching the game, it became obvious that lack of ceiling remains a problem for the team as we were out-rebounded by Jordan (although statistically, the discrepancy seemed less, 43-34 for Jordan whose average height was around 6'6.5").

Except for the crucial missed free throws, our P Team showed grit and nowhere is it more evident than in the inspired plays of the guards who carried the scoring load for the team. Overall, the team defense was good and may need a few tweaks that can be remedied by a good conditioning program that will allow the players to peak at the right time and put enough pressure defense to last the whole ballgame.

Pinoys can sleep well tonight even after this loss. It wasn't a victory but sure feels like one.

Need inspiration, Coach? Need not look any further. Here is true Pinoy progress! Peace.

Victory, doubly-sweet for Team Pilipinas

For the fourth straight day, Our P Team played in matches that were decidedly close. Fortunately, this time, we came out on top.

This one is memorable on two fronts. First, it somehow soothed the bitter sting of absorbing back-to-back last second losses to Lebanon and uhmmm, Japan. (The Coach Chot Experiments) And second, this was a sort of revenge against the team that literally tore our hearts after escaping with a miracle shot to oust us in the semis in the Busan Games. (Unfair!)

Here is an article about the victory courtesy of the quick-writing, Mr. Aldrin Cardona. He also writes about Coach Chot's 'current Mid East flavor bandwagon' shoutout on Pilipinas basketball. I wonder if Mr. Paul Shirley's interested? He is no Greg Oden but really interesting player who has brains and especially, height. If he only knew, how passionate we are about basketball. Somebody introduce him to Mr. Engelland, please.

Great game, boys! (Plus, the game-finishing 3 on 1 fastbreak slam was awesome! )

There are some rays of hope but sure have plenty of clouds, still

It was a far cry back in May when Our P Team was still definitely trying to learn the ropes after a hurried formation for a basketball team. Yet, that was to be expected given the limited preparation. We all groped for information during their training stint in Belgrade. We've heard the good news about Gabe Norwood doing well for the team and quite good at it. You have a feeling that this team is progressing and a far cry from the time when they were in Tehran.

Now comes the Jones Cup in Taiwan. Yes, this is more of a learning trip and Coach Chot reminded all that winning the Cup isn't the priority. The team even brought 4 new recruits in the hopes of finding out who among the roster will make it to the final one in Tokushima. Somehow, Filipinos still hoped that we come out on top after 9 games in 9 days.

We started well.

The team even showed up a strong Asian contender in the face of a tall Lebanese team. Never mind that we lost by a prayer. We liked what we saw most of the game and despite the coaching experiments and employing the services of different players all game long, we knew we had the talent. Shades of Busan? Nahh.

But a Game 3 loss to a weak Japan this afternoon and again on a last second miscue (or more of a last quarter meltdown for the second consecutive day) can be too hard to accept.

We'll see how the boys respond to their next game . . . while I convince myself that all this will bear the ultimate fruit.