Loyzaga in FIBA hall of fame

MANILA, Philippines — The late Carlos Loyzaga, largely considered as the greatest Filipino basketball player of all time, will get his well-deserved place in the FIBA Hall of Fame.

Loyzaga, who led the Philippines to a bronze medal in the 1954 FIBA World Championship in Brazil – a feat still unmatched among Asian teams – to go with a combined six gold medals in the Asian Games and Asian Basketball Championship, is among 10 players and two coaches who will be enshrined on Aug. 23 in Manila.

Known as “The Big Difference,” Loyzaga will be posthumously inducted along with the late Olympic and world champion Zurab Sakandelidze of Georgia in the ceremonies set two days before the country’s hosting of the FIBA World Cup.

His batchmates in the Class of 2023 are Chinese legend Yao Ming, Brazilian great Wlamir Marques, Australian women’s champ Penny Taylor, Indonesian hero Liem Tjien Siong/Sonny Hendrawan, Japanese ladies’ Yuko Oga, Angolan Angelo Monteiro dos Santos Victoriano, two-time world and two-time Olympic winner Katrina McClain of the USA and Women’s EuroBasket 2013 champion Amaya Valdemoro of Spain.

Loyzaga, who died in 2016 at the age of 85, will join his former coach, Dionisio “Chito” Calvo, in the FIBA Hall of Fame.