Cagers breach 30-hr, 3,000-pt mark

MANILA, Philippines - The Philippine Basketball Marathon has gone past the 30-hour mark but not one participant was about to quit at least entering the second night of the classic, fund-raising event by Asian Cable Enterprises Inc. (ACCESS) at the Meralco gym.

Players have started to pace themselves a lot more, doing stretching as much as they’re running, shooting and defending with the fatigue factor starting to set in.

Still, team spirit, enthusiasm and confidence have remained very high among the 24-strong Philippine Basketball Marathon cast looking to set a new world record for non-stop basketball.

“Mental phase has begun,” said Discovery-ACCESS chief operating officer Jacque Ruby.

“The second day is the most critical period because the players’ body clocks have been disrupted. Today’s performance of the players shall show if they have willed their bodies to adjust in order to carry on,” Ruby pointed out.

Through 5 p.m. yesterday, the group has piled up nearly 8,000 points with Team Bounce Back leading Team Walang Iwanan, 3,922-3,913.

“Actually, the points don’t really matter. It’s the time that counts,” said Peeya delos Reyes of the organizing group.

Delos Reyes said the target is to continue to play up to early Saturday morning.

“We would match the record by 1 a.m. Saturday. Of course, we hope to carry on to break the record,” said Delos Reyes.

Being chased is the world record of 112 hours and 13 seconds the Missouri Athletic Club set in St. Louis, Missouri on March 21 to 25, 2012.

Guinness people are arriving only Thursday or Friday. But the proceedings from the opening tip Monday morning have been duly recorded.