Shameful Pinoys in Singapore

A Filipino basketball team carrying the colors of Hacienda Pacita Sugar was an embarrassment at the Jumpshot Superstars Challenge in Singapore last August. Fans who watched the three-day tournament said the Filipino cagers were out of shape and badly outplayed.

The Filipino OFWs who paid good money to witness the games were extremely disappointed, if not disgusted, by the way the players lost every lopsided game. It was like the players were rounded up by some organizer just to collect an appearance fee.

“They didn’t come to play,” said a witness. “They came to be slaughtered. It was a shame.”

In the first game, the Pacita squad was walloped by the Singaporean semi-pro club Cagers by 34, 104-70. The Cagers were led by guard Wong Wei Long and beefed up by two South African imports. A report from Jumpshot Magazine said, “Perhaps due to a lack of time to train together as a team, they (Pacita) somehow lack cohesiveness and have a tendency to turnover the ball way too much.”

In the second game, the Yulon Dinos of Taiwan swamped the Filipinos, 151-72 – a margin of 79 points. Ex-PBA player Bryan Gahol paced the hapless Pacita squad with 11 points.

In the third game, Singapore Home United trounced Pacita, 108-67. A report mentioned the Filipinos played without starting point guard Jun Gregorio.

Believe it or not, the average losing margin for the Filipinos was 51 points. A UAAP or NCAA high school team would’ve played with more heart.

Who brought the team to Singapore to be massacred? The guilty party must be accountable for this disaster.

SBP executive director Noli Eala said he has no knowledge of this event. Who allowed the team to travel? Who paid for the expenses? Did anyone make money on the deal? An investigation is in order to get to the bottom of the debacle.

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Three ex-PBA imports were listed in NBA preseason rosters but none made the cut when the campaign got underway last Tuesday.

Coming close to breaking through were Noel Felix (Talk ‘N’ Text, 2004-05), Chris Alexander (Barangay Ginebra, 2007-08) and Gabe Muoneke (Purefoods, 2002).

Felix was cut by the Sacramento Kings last Oct. 21, the same day the Oklahoma City Thunder sent the pink slip to Alexander. The next day, Muoneke got the boot from the Utah Jazz.

The 7-1 Alexander had a good shot at cracking coach P. J. Carlesimo’s cast because of his height, mobility and experience. But after playing four games with not a single turnover in the exhibitions, Alexander was waived just the same. In all, he shot only 2-of-9 field goals and grabbed 10 rebounds in averaging over six minutes a game.

Alexander logged 8:24 minutes in a scoreless performance as the Thunder beat Houston, 110-104, last Oct. 13. His best effort was when he hit five points and hauled in four rebounds in 6:16 but Oklahoma City lost an 88-80 decision to Minnesota.

Felix was one of Cleveland’s final cuts last year and even played for the Cavaliers in the China preseason series. He saw action only twice for the Kings in the just concluded exhibitions.

Muoneke was in Utah’s 18-man cast in the preseason and averaged seven minutes in four outings, scoring a total of five points. Against Denver last Oct. 15, Felix played 10:33 and compiled two points on 2-of-2 free throws and a rebound. Unfortunately, that was his last appearance in a Jazz uniform.

In the NBA last season, two ex-PBA imports suited up-Earl Barron (Red Bull) and Billy Thomas (Tanduay).

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Plans to stage an Ateneo-San Beda doubleheader featuring players of yesteryears in the opener and a showdown between the NCAA champion and UAAP titlist in the climax at the PhilSports Arena on Nov. 23 were shelved because of conflicting schedules.

Smart Sports’ Patrick Gregorio, however, said it’s only a postponement, not a cancellation – he hopes.

Eagles and Lions from the ’70s had agreed to square off in what was to be a revival of the closed-door battle for the NCAA championship in 1977. Abe King and Fritz Gaston vowed to show up ready to play.

San Beda president Matt de Jesus pledged his all-support to the fund-raiser but Ateneo officials begged off in the end.

In a statement, Gregorio said:

“The Ateneo versus San Beda match will not push through on Nov. 23. Both teams are too busy because of the tournaments they’ve signed up to play in like the PBL, PCCL and the Jesuit schools tournament in Cagayan de Oro on Dec. 1-5. They need to focus. ‘Til the next dream.”

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From the grapevine – Is it true a good-looking UAAP guard will give up his remaining three years of varsity eligibility to venture into show business?

Is it true a UAAP head coach is moving to the NCAA next season?

Is it true that a former UAAP player, now in the US, has academic transcripts showing he attended two high schools in the same semester?

Is it true that a current UAAP player is actually 26 years old when the birth certificate he submitted for eligibility purposes alleges he is only 23?