Abandoned cager offered US contract

For a while, Mark Magsumbol didn’t know if it was worth pursuing a basketball career.

The 6-2 shooting guard from Calauag, Quezon, earned a degree in Hotel and Restaurant Management at the College of St. Benilde in 2001 but instead of applying what he learned in the classroom, decided to try his luck on the court.

Magsumbol, 25, went from team to team and from league to league.

He thought he’d found a home with the Cebuana Lhuillier national squad but after a disastrous showing in the Jones Cup last year, the team was disbanded.

Magsumbol didn’t mind moving around. He was determined to find his place in the sun, no matter how long it took.

Magsumbol played for four teams in the Philippine Basketball League (PBL), three teams in the National Basketball Conference and a team in the Cebu Basketball Federation and gained a reputation as a journeyman. He never applied for the Philippine Basketball Association draft.

This year, Magsumbol showed up to try out for Granny Goose in the PBL and was told a slot was assured for him. Because of Granny Goose’s assurance, he didn’t bother to try out with other teams. But he was later informed Granny Goose decided to sign up somebody else and it was too late to try out for another team.

"Natapos na ang tryouts sa PBL kaya nawalaan ako ng chance to play for other teams," said Magsumbol. "I have nothing against Granny Goose and I thank them for the opportunity to play in Cebu before and for not taking me because dumating ang chance to try out in the ABA (American Basketball Association)."

Last week, Magsumbol and 14 others joined the tryouts for the ABA team San Jose Skyrockets conducted by coach Marc Joffe at the PhilSports Arena. Among those who attended the tryouts were Rob Johnson, Johnedel Cardel, Antoine Clinton, Richard Hardin and Nick Fasano.

Skyrockets president Kazumi Hasegawa, a lawyer, and Joffe planed in from the US to scout for Filipino players. Last August, they held tryouts in Japan and zeroed in on 6-1 Yosuke Sugawara.

"We’re putting together a team that’s reflective of the ethnicity of San Jose and the Bay Area," said Hasegawa. "This is our first year in the ABA and we’re excited. The ABA really appealed to us because its philosophy is centered on community participation and involvement."

The ABA was established in 1967 and merged with the National Basketball Association (NBA) in 1975. It was revived in 2000 with seven teams, expanded to 34 in 2004-05 and now lists 55 franchises. Each team plays 36 games, 18 at home, during the regular season,which begins in November. Two ABA teams are the Beijing Aoshen of China and the Long Beach Jam, both of which lost to the Philippine national team at the Global Hoops Summit in Las Vegas last July.

Hasegawa said based on Magsumbol’s showing at the tryouts, he has the potential to become a "great" player.

"Mark played hard at both ends of the court and played within the team concept," said Ravi Chulani who coordinated the tryouts. "He made crisp passes, played tenacious defense and hit open shots. Mark ran the break and went to the basket at will. Mark did not have the flashiest game but his fundamentals and team style are consistent with coach Joffe’s objective."

Chulani, whose cousin Girish Mirchandani is based in San Francisco and suggested to Hasegawa to recruit a Filipino for the Skyrockets, said Magsumbol will be offered a five-month contract with a monthly salary of about $3,000 plus free board, lodging and round-trip plane ticket.

Magsumbol said he is in the process of getting a new passport and once it is issued, will apply for a US visa.

"First time akong pupunta sa US," said Magsumbol. "Swerte lang at maganda ang pinakita ko sa tryouts. Parang lahat ng tinira ko, pumasok. Outside, inside, drive. Sabi ni coach, dapat mag-hustle kami, huwag kaming matakot and give it your all. Even if pagod na ako, sige pa rin."

The aspirants were split into three teams of five players each and scrimmaged for 15 minutes each game. The scrimmages lasted three hours. Joffe rearranged matchups as the games went on. The red-white-and-blue ABA ball was used. Players were introduced to the ABA 3-D rule where after forcing a turnover in the opponent"s backcourt, a team is given an extra point for a field goal, meaning a two-pointer will count for three and a three-pointer will count for four.

After the tryouts, Hasegawa and Joffe interviewed Magsumbol, Fasano and Clinton. Then they decided to offer a contract to Magsumbol.

Joffe said the Skyrockets held tryouts for 81 players in the US last Sept. 25 and Oct. 9. Of the 81, four were invited to a camp last weekend. The team opened a two-week camp yesterday in San Jose for 20 to 25 players to prepare for the coming season.

Magsumbol said he will be ready to play either point or offguard in the ABA. He said playing for different coaches in different leagues has turned out to be a blessing because the experience will go a long way in preparing him for the ABA.

Magsumbol said he learned a lot from his coaches Bong Go, Dong Vergeire, Franz Pumaren, Jing Ruiz and Nel Parada.

Hasegawa, a Japanese who was born in Taiwan and moved to the US when she was 13 with his parents, learned about the ABA while working as a legal counsel for the Ontario, California, franchise.

"I’ve always loved basketball," she said. "I went to UCLA so I grew up with Wooden basketball and I love March Madness. When I was a student, I dreamed of working for the United Nations or Unicef.

With the Skyrockets, I’ve got a chance to fulfill that dream because the team is a wonderful avenue to reach out to different ethnic groups and get them together."

Joffe said the Skyrockets may end up with players from China, India, Japan, the Philippines and the US.