Winners of Molten FIBA balls

As expected, we were deluged by entries for the contest to win five composite leather and eight rubber Molten 2019 FIBA World Cup Qualifiers basketballs stamped with the Gilas Pilipinas logo. Sonak Corp., distributor of Molten in the Philippines, made available the limited edition basketballs exclusive to Philippine Star readers.

Each qualified entry had to answer three questions correctly with an essay on why qualifying for the 2019 FIBA World Cup is important to the Philippines. The questions were: 1. Which country was the last to be beaten by the Philippines in the FIBA World Cup, what year and where? (Senegal at the 2014 FIBA World Cup in Spain). 2. What year and where did the Philippines finish third in the FIBA World Cup, the highest placing ever by an Asian country? (1954 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil). 3. Which three countries won a consolidated bid to host the 2023 FIBA World Cup? (Philippines, Japan, Indonesia). Each entry also had to include name of sender, address, age, occupation (if student, what year, course, school) and contact details. Deadline for submission of entries was at 5 p.m. last Thursday.

Several entries had the wrong answer for the first question, putting instead Chinese-Taipei, the last team the Philippines beat in the 2019 FIBA Asia/Pacific World Cup Qualifiers, not the FIBA World Cup. Entries that had no address or age or occupation or school were also disqualified. One entry was marked “OFW” under the sender’s name but had no other details. Entries came from Baguio, La Union, Cebu, Iloilo, Camarines Norte, Tarlac, Masbate, Zambales, Cagayan and many other provinces.

Here are the winners of five composite leather basketballs:

1. Carlos Echegaray, 52, civil engineer, of Tagumpay Street, Tondo.

2. Edwin Hinampas, 34, senior accountant, Universal Robina, North Signal Village, Taguig.

3. Denise Agbulos, 24, investment advisor, Sampaloc, Manila.

4. Dexter Monzon, 39, sales representative, Pacific Residences, Taguig.

5. Ferland Tagura, 58, geologist, Barangay Plaridel, Jose Panganiban, Camarines Norte.

The winners of eight rubber basketballs are:

1. Carlo Balderas, 40, granite/marble company coordinator, Moonwalk, Parañaque.

2. Janson Gonzales, 21, employee, Manila Marriott Hotel, Bagong Nayon, Antipolo.

3. Danniele Angelo Rasos, 22, student, Asian Institute of Computer Studies, Barangay Pinyahan, Quezon City.

4. Jadd Jhenyx Bareng, 20, student, Lyceum University in Manila, Gatchalian Subdivision, Manuyo Dos, Las Piñas.

5. Jerome Arzadon, 19, student, civil engineering, UST, Doña Juana Subdivision, Rosario, Pasig.

6. Ramon Yazon, 20, student, export management, College of St. Benilde, Tandang Sora, Quezon City.

7. Melvin Pasamba, 34, bank employee, Barangay San Antonio, San Pedro, Laguna.

8. Paolo Pilapil, 19, student, math, Philippine Normal University, Resettlement Area, Barangay Kalawaan, Pasig.

 This is Echegaray’s essay: “It is very important for the Philippines to qualify for the 2019 FIBA World Cup because it will be a fitting follow-up to what we achieved in the 2014 World Cup, qualifying in the prestigious event after 36 years. We put the Philippines back on the world basketball map. So it is a must that we should qualify for the 2019 edition because we will show that our 2014 FIBA World Cup qualification was not a fluke. We also fought tooth and nail for the chance of hosting the event next year, losing only to China even after a masterful presentation that reintroduced the Filipino passion for basketball, this time with a battlecry ‘Puso.’ Likewise, our qualification in next year’s event will also be a fitting prelude to our co-hosting the event with Indonesia and Japan in 2023 where we are qualified automatically. Our qualification and performance in next year’s event in China will serve as a gauge of how far the Philippine team has advanced in recent years and which will also stir interest in the 2023 event which we are co-hosting.”

 We will award the prizes to the winners on Sunday, Aug. 26, at 11 a.m. in front of Starbucks, Molito in front of the Alabang Town Center. Winners will be contacted by cellphone to confirm attendance.