Sporting Chance

Suspected Fil-Am impostor Al Segova is now playing as an import in Turkey. That's the word from Segova's agent Jerald Wrightsil who flew in aboard a Philippine Airlines flight from San Francisco last Saturday.

Wrightsil, 34, also manages former Tanduay import Ira (Superman) Clark, now plying his trade in Japan, and Fil-Am Rob Wainwright of Sta. Lucia Realty. The talk is he brought other Fil-Ams like Sonny Alvarado and Matt Mitchell to Manila, too.

So it appears that Wrightsil specializes in "discovering" Fil-Ams.

I asked Wrightsil how difficult it is to locate Fil-Am players in the US. He said if you're resourceful, you'll be able to spot them out. Another agent, former Ateneo player Bobby Rius of San Francisco, once commented that finding Fil-Am prospects for the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) and the Metropolitan Basketball Association (MBA) is like looking for a needle in a haystack. Perhaps, Rius referred to the legitimate variety.

Is it true that some American agents are on the lookout for players with Spanish surnames and no Filipino lineage to pass them off as Fil-Ams?

"Not that I know of," said Wrightsil, a 6-4 guard who played for the University of Hawaii before barnstorming Turkey, Germany, France and Japan as an import.

Wrightsil said he's got a line on Andre Reyes, an alleged Fil-Am who stands anywhere between 6-9 and 6-11. Reyes played three years for the University of California at Berkeley, an NCAA Division I school, under coach Lou Campanelli. As a senior in 1990-91, the burly center averaged five points and 2.5 rebounds. Wrightsil mentioned that Reyes, 29, now lives in New York.

Another Fil-foreign prospect is a 6-4 guard named Fuentes whose mother is Japanese and father is Filipino. He's playing for a high school in Ohio, said Wrightsil, and the Japan Basketball Association has invited him to train for the national team.

Has he heard of Ed Najera, a 6-8 center from the University of Oklahoma? "He looks like a first round pick in the NBA (National Basketball Association) this year,"said Wrightsil. "Forget it, he's Mexican."

Wrightsil said when Wainwright - whose mother is from Cebu - became a free agent at the end of the last MBA season, several PBA coaches sought him out. Purefoods, Alaska, Tanduay, and Sta. Lucia expressed interest, revealed Wrightsil. But Wainwright decided to move to Sta. Lucia because of his pal Chris Tan whose stepfather is Realtors coach Norman Black.

Wrightsil said Wainwright played only a year of junior college hoops at Sacramento.

What about Segova? Why did he leave?

Wrightsil said from what he knows, Segova took off to gather more evidence in the US to prove his Filipino lineage. That's why, continued Wrightsil, he left behind his clothes, stereo set, TV, and other personal belongings. Wrightsil said Segova promised Purefoods management he would be back with more convincing proof of his Filipino roots.

But since Segova is now playing in Turkey, it seems like he's abandoned plans of returning here.

Wrightsil said he never heard of the rumor that Purefoods management sacked Segova after finding out his birth documents were doctored through computer manipulation. It's also been rumored that Segova hurriedly left town when news leaked out that he'd been messing with a PBA star's wife. I didn't bother to ask Wrightsil if he'd heard of that rumor.

Wrightsil said he was invited to play in the PBA when his pal Joey Wright was injured and called to replace him in the Presto lineup in 1992. But Wrightsil--then playing in Japan -- couldn't get out of his contract.

Wrightsil retired from playing two years ago. "I'm done playing," he said. Now, he's a full-time agent. In his heyday, Wrightsil played one and two guard. At the University of Hawaii, Wrightsil was a two-year starter--averaging 8.3 points in 1986 and 9.4 points in 1987.

As for Alvarado, Wrightsil said he's definitely not Puerto Rican. "I know Sonny from where I'm from," noted Wrightsil who lives in Dallas. "Sonny played at the University of Texas. He's more Filipino than a lot of Fil-Ams I know."

Wrightsil said he's in town to talk to PBA coaches about their import requirements for the Second and Third Conferences. No doubt, he'll try to place Reyes, too.

"The Philippine market is fantastic," said Wrightsil, "and it's because of the fans--they're great. Players love playing in the Philippines because of the fans."

Too bad Wrightsil never got to play in the PBA. Who knows? He might've applied as a Fil-Am.