End of the Road

Pinoy Balls was created about a couple of months ago with hopes in providing information, insights, updates and opinions about the sports that the Filipinos partake. One of its core mission is to deliver news and highlights about the quest of the quintessential team that was built to catapult themselves in the elusive Olympic dream.

This blog has several times unable to deliver that goods. And I apologize to a lot of would be readers who are hungry for content regarding our National Team.

They've gone through several contests in preparation for the FIBA Asia tournament. For Asian ball players, this is the one chance where they can prove themselves to join and compete with the best of world basketball by placing at least runner up. It's only the elimination round and already, Team Pilipinas didn't make it.

Yes my dear friends. After a lot of practice, after so much hard work, and after a dozen of players' interviews viewed on tv and read on a lot of newspapers of their stories and personal testament to the countries quest for an Olympic glory, the national team will go home winless and empty handed.

They put their best performance but the end results tell a different story. They still have a chance and did not vow out of the Olympic qualifying tournament by yielding their first game to Iran.

They managed to keep alive the fragile string of hope by edging China in their second outing. But a team whose name is similar to the greatest basketball player ever to grace this side of the universe, has drain all hopes of the Filipinos to repeat what was made 35 years ago. The feat was the highest for an Asian country by placing third in the Olympics.

The reality now is that we are faced yet again with what are our limits. Basketball is a game where towering human beings usually rule. This loss could either signal an end of an elusive dream. Or it could also spark the fire again to dream and aim high.

I would like to be there when that time comes.

Not a Good Sign

For two consecutive games in the ongoing Jones Cup in Taiwan, Team Pilipinas looked very far from what they are perceived to be in terms of performance. I already mentioned this tournament is not the main goal of the heavily funded national quintet. Their main task is to earn a spot in the 2008 Olympics where they will, hopefully, have the chance to meet the best of basketball.

In order to that, RP-San Miguel National team must earn at least the runner up in the 2007 FIBA-ASIA which is by the way not an easy task. The team that Chot Reyes has been grooming to accomplish that dream will have to battle against China, Iran and Jordan in the elimination round. They must illustrate from themselves a dominant and winning team.

Apparently, our national team has lost two consecutive games right after a promising and good start. They defeated the defending American champions in their first outing but lost to Lebanon on Tuesday and bowed out again versus the Japanese national yesterday. The two losses both came from heart-breaking last second shots.

In their game against the Lebanese, the score was tied at 62 all with three seconds left in the game clock. A couple of passes between the opponents and into the hands of Rony Fahed who delivered a three pointer right before the time expires. The ball banked into the board and off inside the ring putting Lebanon on top, 65-62.

Japan made a similar dagger and pierced it into the hearts of hopeful Filipinos. The ball was intercepted from Dondon Hontiveros and resulted to a fastbreak pass to Yusuke Okada who made the final layup that sealed the game for the Japanese. One second remained in the clock but RP team failed to convert in the end. They led by as much as 12 points but they appeared powerless in the closing minutes and settled for an 86-84 score.

These two losses could determine how much determination and will does the team are composed of. Will they simply work their bodies out for the rest of the tournament for the simple fact that they are part of a national team made to prove the odds wrong? Or will they show us the core they are made of, bring the country the goods they are supposed to bring home after their work outs and practices in and out of the country?

Next week we'€™ll find out when they bag the Jones Cup trophy. And we will cheer them all the way. Nonetheless, the loss to Lebanon and Japan remains a bad sign for a case of a bad dream coming true.

RP-SMB: Jones Cup, the Final Leg

The RP-San Miguel National Team, before they plunged into Tokushima, Japan for the FIBA-Asia Olympic qualifying tournament, are headed into the final leg of their very rugged training schedule, The Jones Cup.
And the best way to start the 10-team competition is to beat the defending champion team USA. Playing under the banner of AIA or Athletes in Action, Team Pilipinas defeated the powerhouse US cagers led by the relentless shooting of Jimmy Alapag late in the fourth quarter. He shot a perfect 100% field goal percentage, 5 for 5, and led the nationals in a closing game outburst with contributions from Mark Caguioa, Mick Pennisi and Kerby Raymundo to finish the game, 72-67.

RP Team Replaces Hatfield with Villanueva

PDI reports the rewarding of Enrico Villanueva as the replacement for Rudy Hatfield in the roster of Team Pilipinas. PhilStar/Abs-CbnNews does the same thing.
Rudy is getting married and plans were already cooked up even before the national team was formed. Team Pilipinas is all set to compete on May 12-20 for the FIBA Asian Champions Cup which will be held in Tehran, Iran. The entry to the tournament was made possible after amateur team RP-Harbour Centre won the SEABA Champions Cup held in Jakarta, Indonesia.
So what's there to watch out for before the big tournament?
Set your celphone alarms and cancel your appointments on Tuesday evening, because a collection of PBA Fiesta Conference imports namely:

• Rod Neely of Ginebra,
• James Penny of Red Bull,
• Galen Young of San Miguel,
• Wayland White and Alex Compton of Welcoat,
• Marquin Chandler of Purefoods,
• Shawn Daniels of Air21,
• Rosell Ellis of Alaska,
• Jeff Varen of Coca-Cola,
• J.J. Salinger of Talk ‘N Text, and,
• Jamaal Williams of Sta. Lucia Realty

will test the core of Team Pilipinas. That's an exciting game to witness the national squad perform what they've been sweating out in their not-so-easy practices in and out of the country.