The Spurs are now safely in the Last Dance after disposing of Phoenix in five games in the Western Conference Finals despite playing without the homecourt advantage and against league MVP Steve Nash.
San Antonio won the championship in 1999 and 2003. Coach Gregg Popovich is gunning for his third crown and his first without long-time anchor David Robinson.
Akana, 34, spoke from first-hand experience in choosing the Spurs. Denver surprised San Antonio by winning Game 1 of their first round playoff series on the road then the Spurs buckled down to work and swept the next four outings to clinch in five. Akana witnessed the proceedings from start to finish as part of the Nuggets coaching staff.
Akana conducted clinics for coaches and players here a few weeks back. He also attended the first-ever Nike Summer League (NSL) championship game at the Emilio Aguinaldo College Sports Center. Team Ultraposite, coached by Elmer Latonio, won the NSL title.
The NSL tapped the country’s best young basketball-crazy kids with the potential to develop and become hoop heroes and was the first of its kind to draft players in the 13-17 age category for 20 teams in the two-month tournament. Over 2,000 players showed up for tryouts and 240 were picked in the draft presided by NSL commissioner Alvin Patrimonio.
Nike athletes Enrico Villanueva, Jeffrey Cariaso, John Arigo, Willie Miller, Paul Artadi, Ronald Tubid, Olsen Racela, Mark Cardona, Anthony Washington, Mark Isip, Alex Compton, L. A. Tenorio, J. V. Casio, Kenneth Bono, Arwind Santos, Leo Canuday, Larry Fonacier and Ronjay Enrile acted as managers for the 20 NSL teams. Coaches Alfrancis Chua and Koy Banal were also team managers.
Akana was in Wang Fei’s coaching staff for China at the 2002 World Championships in Indianapolis and saw up close the potential of the national team. He used to drill the Chinese players at practice and helped out Wang, who speaks English, on the bench.
Akana said his multi-racial background allows him to circulate in various ethnic circles. His father is Hawaiian with Chinese and Caucasian blood while his mother is a Samoan-Caucasian.
Akana said it’s not likely any team in Asia can match up against China, size-wise, but that doesn’t mean the Chinese are unbeatable. "Nothing is impossible," he said.
Akana said coaching basketball is all about going to your team’s strengths and exploiting your opponent’s weaknesses. He said if your team is good in shooting, then make the game a shooting contest and if your team is quicker than the other, then make it a running game. The idea is not to play to your opponent’s strengths.
Akana said Nuggets sparkplug Earl Boykins, a 5-5 guard, has opened the doors for more little men to play in the NBA.
"Earl is really special," said Akana. "He’s strong, tough and quick. And he plays and plays and plays to be the best he can be. He’s an inspiration to small guards. He understands what it takes to make it in the NBA and that means always playing and practicing. With the zone defense, little guys now get a chance to compete. Before, they just used to get posted up."
As for his coaching philosophy, Akana said his starting point is defense. And in offense, he said he likes to run and attack. "My thinking is if you put up more shots than your opponent, you have a better chance to win," he noted.
The BAP wasn’t restrained from organizing the FIBA (Federation Internationale de Basketball)-Asia Champions Cup, which ends today, and is set to stage the fourth Asian University Championships in Dumaguete on June 12-18. Xiamen University of China, Myong Ji Universtiy of South Korea, Chinese Taipei University, Perpetual Help College of Manila, Philippine Maritime Institute and National University are playing in the Dumaguete cagefest.
BAP executive vice president Christian Tan, who owns the popular Healthy Options chain, doesn’t seem worried. He appears confident FIBA will uphold the BAP’s autonomy and reject the POC’s efforts to accredit the newly-organized Basketball Federation of the Philippines (BFP) as the country’s new National Sports Association for basketball.
But the POC is determined to once and for all, establish a new order for basketball. The BAP’s looming expulsion will pave the way for the POC to recognize the BFP and affiliation with FIBA will become a matter of course.
BAP secretary-general Graham Lim, meanwhile, is wondering where he will go if he is finally deported.
"This is pure harassment," said Lim. "The Taiwan government won’t accept me if I’m deported because I’m not a Taiwan citizen. I was born in the Philippines and my wife is Filipina. Where will I go if I’m deported?" I am filing my appeal to the Bureau of Immigration on Friday and will probably go to court. This is a personal attack on me. Kawawa ang basketball. Instead of sticking to issues, the problem became political and personal."
Postscript: Emerald Headway, the leading distributor of over 700 foreign magazines including Sync, What Bike", Vogue (UK), Total Gamer, Max PC (CD-ROM version), Codebook and Practical Photo, celebrates its 18th anniversary this June. To mark the special event, Emerald is launching the 18 percent at 18 subscription price-off promo. Every one-year subscription to any foreign magazine entitles you to an 18 percent discount. A 6-month subscription to any foreign magazine entitles you to a nine percent discount. Aside from that, you get two free magazines for every subscription booked and paid. The promo is from June 1-30 only. For details, call 647-4744 or visit the Emerald showroom at 218 Katipunan Ave., Blue Ridge, Quezon City.