Christmas comes early

PORTLAND, Oregon – From the streets of Manila, their passion for playing ball has taken them to visit the 11 acres of the Village regalia, watch a live NBA game at the historic Rose Garden, and even meet and greet with some of the NBA hoop idols.

"Ok naman. Parang ayoko na matulog kasi gusto ko ma-enjoy yung Portland," said 17-year-old John Carlos Hermida.

He and three of his teammates (Jay-R Tecson, Jay-R Taganas, Menardo Gamalinda) from San Beda College won this year’s Asian Streetball Challenge — a three-on-three-half-court basketball competition spearheaded by Adidas Philippines. The Taiwanese team sealed the victory in the women’s divison. And as a prize, they were given an all-expenses-paid trip to the Beaver State.

"Sobrang saya kasi first time kong makapunta dito sa America,," added 18-year- old Taganas, otherwise known as "Baby Shaq" because of his 6-foot, 4-inch height and powerful bulky frame.

Though they were welcomed by the freezing 31 degrees Fahrenheit weather, the boys were bundled up with layers of clothing, gloves and beanies to remain warm as they went through what Adidas representatives called "the ultimate NBA experience."

"What do we mean by that? We get to visit our main office in Portland. Aside from that, we get to watch an NBA game. And aside from that, meet and greet with all the Portland Trailblazers players," said Odette Velarde, assistant manager for marketing communications in the Philippines.

According to her, the main goal of streetball is to encourage the kids to believe in themselves and try their best to reach their goals.

"We want the kids to know that they if they believe in themselves, they can do anything. Impossible is nothing," she said.

The highlight of the trip was a special access to the Portland Trail Blazers-Houston Rockets game at the Rose Garden Arena where the Streetball champions even got the chance to do hi-five’s’with Zach Randolph, Joel Przybilla and the rest of the team as they got introduced before the start of the game.

Not only did they get to shake hands with the stars of NBA hoopdom, Taganas, Hermida, Tecson and Gamalinda got to sit down with one of the stars of the Portland team – ace guard Sebastian Telfair.

"They’re fun and they’re one of the teams who watch me play and knew who I was. They had a lot to say to me. And today when I walked in, I saw them and I remember all their faces," said Telfair who had lunch with the young Filipino ballers a day before the game.

He said he remembered the faces of the players he met in Manila when he went there for promotions of the Streetball Challenge because he had a great time on that trip, experiencing what the Philippines was like, and interacting with the college players.

For the San Beda boys, Telfair is like a brother who not only encourages them to keep aiming for their dream to make it big in Philippine basketball someday; but also inspiring them that all obstacles may be hurdled as long as one believes. Certainly, the picture of Telfair driving his white Bentley is a living proof to that.

"I’m not from Portland. I’m not from big houses and everything that you might see now. I come from Coney Island, Brooklyn where there’s a lot of struggles, a lot of obstacles I had to get over to get to where I’m at. And I just told them impossible is nothing," Telfair addressed the small Philippines contingent that gathered in front of him in one of the rooms at the Village. He explained that after he saw a photo of the Bentley in a magazine while he was still in high school, he told himself that he was going to get himself one if he made it to the NBA.

"I talked to them about that. I told them it’s possible for them to make it wherever they want to go. And they told me where they come from and they told me how it is," he said.

Telfair added, "And I make sure I work hard and stay humble and I know how to give all my blessings to God."