Pinays swing for Lakers

LOS ANGELES — The tradition of world-class Filipina dancers making their way to coveted jobs in the National Basketball Association (NBA) is alive and swinging in Tinseltown.

There are three Filipinas among 21 Laker Girls, probably the most popular cheerdancing squad in the NBA. The Laker Girls are considered the league’s most glamorous dancers and each year, over 200 hopefuls try out for spots in the team. There is no security of tenure for veteran dancers who must earn contracts season after season.

It was Solar Sports broadcaster and Red Bull assistant team manager Andy Jao who tipped us off about a Filipina dancing for the Lakers. Jao said his wife Erilyn’s close friend Lorna Agdeppa of Tarlac has a daughter Alexie who made the Laker Girls cut this year. Jao is here to cover the All-Star Game for Solar.

Alexie, 20, is the oldest of three children born to Ayson–a Los Angeles policeman for over 30 years–and Lorna. Jao said Alexie is a born dancer who has competed and won prizes in Las Vegas competitions.

Alexie was born and raised in Rowland Heights, California. She is a Dance, World Arts and Cultures major at the University of California at Los Angeles where she rooms in a dorm with two other students. Her hobbies include travel and reading and writing poetry. She is also a dancing instructor.

Like Alexie, Shelby Rabara of Santa Ana, California, is a Filipina Laker Girl rookie. She is enrolled in the same course in the same school as Alexie. Shelby is a professional teacher in the film and TV industry and enjoys surfing, reading and camping.

The third Filipina in the Laker Girls squad is Cheryl Aure of Cerritos, California. She is on her second year in the Laker organization and earned a communications degree at the University of Southern California. Cheryl is a dance instructor for the United Spirit Association and likes to snowboard, read and choreograph.

It was Cheryl who confirmed to The Star yesterday that there are three Filipinas in the Laker Girls squad. The Laker Girls and an NBA All-Star dance troupe performed during the All-Star program last Saturday.

New York, Chicago and Golden State are among other NBA teams with a rich history of recruiting Filipina cheerdancers. During the Michael Jordan era, the Chicago Luvabulls featured four Filipinas. A Filipina, Sara Corona-Reynolds, danced for the New York City Dancers in the 1998 NBA All-Star Game at Madison Square Garden. A former Golden State Filipina cheerdancer, Emily Jose, was recruited to join the Oakland Raiders squad even as two Filipinas remain in the Warriors troupe.

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NBA commissioner David Stern presided in a press conference at the Los Angeles Convention Center last Saturday to announce the staging of the first-ever league games in China.

The Houston Rockets and Sacramento Kings will play preseason games in Shanghai on Oct. 14 and Beijing on Oct. 17. Rocket stars Yao Ming and Steve Francis joined Stern at the press conference. Sacramento’s Peja Stojakovic also attended.

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A celebrity game involving movie and TV stars was played at the center court of the traveling basketball theme park "Jam Session" in the Los Angeles Convention Center last Saturday. New Jersey’s Richard Jefferson provided the pro dimension to the Buffalo Braves while Houston’s Mark Jackson was his counterpart on the Minneapolis Lakers.

Los Angeles Sparks center Lisa Leslie called the shots for the Lakers with Ashton Kutcher–wearing a cap and suit–her assistant. The Braves were coached by P. Diddy.

Jefferson scored 16 points but the Braves won, 60-52. An interested spectator at courtside was Demi Moore whose daughter constantly gave a stressed-out Kutcher a back rub.

Among the celebrities who saw action were Frankie Muniz, D. J. Clue, Roger Lodge of "Blind Date" fame and Nick Carter.

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Magic Johnson was on the money as he teamed with Lisa Leslie and Derek Fisher to lead the Lakers to the Shooting Stars title on All-Star Saturday at the Staples Center. The threesome hit from five spots–including midcourt–on the floor in 43.9 seconds to edge the San Antonio Spurs who timed in at 46.

"We represent L.A. style," beamed Magic. "I love this game and I love being a part of it in any type of way. We get this one moment for about 20 minutes. We were jumping up like we just won the world championship. That’s what this weekend should be about, Showtime."

In the Sports Skills Challenge, New Orleans’ Baron Davis didn’t miss a single three-point shot in two attempts and clinched the crown. He clocked 28.7 seconds in the first round then 31.6 in the finals over Fisher who sputtered in 37.6 ticks. Fisher hit his triple after two misses and resulted in extending his time.

The Three-Point Shootout went down to the wire. Miami’s Voshon Lenard buried all five two-point money balls in the championship round to dethrone Stojakovic, 18-16. Philadelphia rookie Kyle Korver scored 15 in the three-way finals.

Stojakovic, seeking a third straight title, knocked down his last five shots in the first round to tally 21 but couldn’t keep the pace in the finals, missing five in a row during a harrowing stretch that drew groans from the capacity crowd.

The Slam Dunk Competition was a disappointment. Indiana’s Fred Jones took the crown after Jason Richardson couldn’t score in his final jam. It was almost a victory by default. Jones’ consolation was he registered perfect 50s in two of five counted dunks courtesy of judges Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, James Worthy, Jamaal Wilkes, Norm Nixon and Magic Johnson.

Spotted at courtside were celebrities Leonardo DiCaprio, Will Smith, retired heavyweight boxing champion Lennox Lewis, Lil’ Bow Wow, Vanessa Williams, Penny Marshall, Tom Cavanaugh and the irrepressible Jack Nicholson.