Batang Gilas capped another solid showing by turning back Japan, 113-105, in overtime and finishing fifth in the strong FIBA-Asia Under-18 Championship in Doha, Qatar. The boys came a couple of games, perhaps three, of making the world stage again. If not for that heartbreaking loss to Chinese Taipei in the quarterfinals, the Philippines would have placed better. It was still a respectable showing despite it.
I call it heroic.
And we have several thoughts.
1. Batang Gilas coach Jamike Jarin has accounted himself well not only by restoring the reputation of the Filipinos as a power in the Asian youth basketball landscape, but also by helping steer the country into the world map again after years, perhaps decades, of futility. This brings us to the conclusion that the team should have a full-time coach like Jarin.
2. Of course, everybody's support must be poured into the country's youth program. And that support isn't necessarily money. We're talking about schools being cooperative by lending their top players. And we're thankful to Cebu, Ateneo, University of the Philippines, National U, Far Eastern U, San Beda, Hope Christian School and athletic associations like Cesafi, UAAP and NCAA for being one with the program. Appreciation also goes to PBA legend Benjie Paras for allowing his son, Kobe, to also fly all the way from Los Angeles where he is studying to join the team in Doha. Of course, without the MVP Sports Foundation, Manny V. Pangilinan himself and the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas that he leads, all of these recent successes of Batang Gilas will not be possible.
3. Speaking of Kobe Paras, he showed he's a special kid. Given a chance, he could be big, if not bigger, than his daddy, someday. He's playing, by the way, for Cathedral and may end up in a US NCAA Division I school where he hopes to hone his talents enough to find his way to where every basketball player in the universe aspires to play – the National Basketball Association.
4. While Batang Gilas' big heart, determination and perseverance are commendable, they're not enough to bang bodies against taller teams like China, South Korea and Iran. If you've seen the Chinese in the pre-game, they have a warm-up drill where every single player dunks. I mean every single one of them. So when news that this 14-year-old, United Kingdom-based 6-7 Fil-Nigerian is interested to play for the Philippines broke out, we were ecstatic to the bones. His name is AJ Edu. His mother is Josie, a Filipina who hails from Surigao. What's more alluring with AJ is that he has a Philippine passport. We watched his highlights and boy, he got game. Now the SBP has to move fast because we heard reports that the Wales national team is also hot on his tracks. But considering what AJ's mother has said, Batang Gilas is his first choice.
5. Let me use this Thought No. 5 to tell Jarin and the coaching staff, the players – Jose Go IV, Norman Aaron Black, Dave Wilson Yu, Mark Anthony Dyke, Andres Paul Desiderio, Richard Escoto, Joshua Andrei Caracut, Ranbill Tongco, Leonard Santillan, Manuel Mosqueda III, Brandrey Bienes and Kobe Paras – and all the people who were with Batang Gilas in Doha to stand proud. Because you are all HEROES.
Now what are your thoughts?
Follow me on Twitter: @JoeySVillar
Or you can check out my blog at http://sportsmaryosep.wordpress.com/
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Editor’s note: Joey Villar is a veteran sportswriter for The Philippine Star, covering college basketball and other sports. He also blogs occasionally for Unblogged Sports and NBA.com Philippines. His views are purely his own and do not reflect those of the organizations he writes for.