Year’s top 15 headline makers in hoops

(Conclusion)

In the previous two parts, we wrote about the La Salle eligibility scandal in the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP), the Southeast Asian (SEA) Games letdown with the absence of the game in the calendar because of the country’s suspension by FIBA (Federation Internationale de Basketball), the national team’s progress in overseas competitions under coach Chot Reyes, Barangay Ginebra’s reign in the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA), the UAAP and NCAA (National Collegiate Athletic Association) men’s senior championships, the historic victories of La Salle Zobel in the UAAP juniors and Ateneo in the UAAP ladies seniors championships, Shell’s departure from the PBA after 20 years of participation, Qatar’s triumph in the FIBA-Asia Champions Cup, the PBA Greatest Game and the PBA’s return to prominence.

Here are the final five headline-makers.

FIBA Cracks The Whip

The suspension was inevitable. During the Southeast Asian Basketball Association (SEABA) championships in Kuala Lumpur, the Basketball Association of the Philippines (BAP) sent a senior men’s team that was not accredited by the Philippine Olympic Committee (POC). The problem was the BAP had already been stripped of its National Sports Association (NSA) status by the POC and no longer enjoyed recognition from the Philippine Sports Commission.

Since a national team must be accredited by its Olympic committee, FIBA could not allow the participation of the Philippines in the SEABA tournament which was the qualifier for the FIBA-Asia Championships in Doha. As a result, the Philippines lost the chance to play in Doha and qualify for the World Championships in Saitama next August.

PBL Stars Shine In Draft

The most outstanding cagers from the Philippine Basketball League (PBL) hogged the spotlight in the PBA draft before the start of the 2005-06 season. The No. 1 overall pick was Anthony Washington, fresh from leading Welcoat to the PBL Unity Cup crown. By the way, it was the Paint Masters’ sixth PBL title since 1996.

There were 18 players chosen in the draft, which was reduced to only two rounds. Aside from Jay-Wash, other PBL stars who were selected included Mark Cardona, Nino Canaleta, Denok Miranda, Cesar Catli, Leo Najorda, Larry Fonacier, Paolo Bugia and Mike Holper.

The mystery man in the draft was University of Hawaii at Hilo guard Alex Cabagnot who went to Sta. Lucia Realty. Cabagnot had not played in any Philippine league prior to the draft.

NBA Stars Invade Manila

During the offseason, several NBA players blew into town for promotional tours.

Orlando Magic center Dwight Howard, Los Angeles Lakers forward Luke Walton and six Houston Rockets Power Dancers came to grace the NBA Madness, an interactive theme park extravaganza that attracted thousands of fans on over 30,000 square feet of space at the Araneta Coliseum parking lot. Howard and Walton conducted clinics for kids and even played in a five-on-five exhibition game with local celebrities.

New Jersey Nets guard Vince Carter visited for a day and demonstrated some of his trademark dunks before an enthusiastic campus audience at the FEU gym. Nike brought Vinsanity to Manila. It also sponsored Denver Nuggets assistant coach Jarrin Akana’s trip here to conduct clinics for players and coaches.

Finally, Portland Trail Blazers guard Sebastian Telfair created a stir during a five-day trip. Nobody could believe the pint-sized Telfair has made a remarkable impact in the majors. In Manila, he conducted clinics and witnessed the sixth Adidas Asian Streetball Finals.

Not to be outdone, And 1 staged a "street" game featuring eight mainstays of the Mix Tape Tour squad against walk-in survivors of a local "open run" held at the Araneta Coliseum parking lot. Although none was an NBA veteran, the And 1 ballers regaled the fans with their incredible street moves. Some of the hoop magicians were Dennis (Spyda) Chism, Lonnie (Prime Objective) Harrell, Grayson (The Professor) Boucher, John (High Octane) Harvey and Anthony (Half-Man, Half-Amazing) Heyward.

BAP Refuses To Go Away

In an act of defiance, the BAP refused to surrender its FIBA recognition despite being expelled by the POC and the newly-organized Philippine Basketball Federation (PBF) voted into the General Assembly as the replacement NSA. Worse, the BAP went to court and sued the POC, seeking to be reinstated.

The BAP’s recalcitrance has placed the Philippines in an untenable position. Although the POC is amenable to revoke the PBF’s recognition as an NSA, it will never reinstate the BAP. Instead, the POC will form a new NSA to include representation from the sport’s major stakeholders, primarily the PBA, PBL, UAAP and NCAA.

Clutching at straws to survive, the BAP claimed that only its reinstatement will prompt FIBA to lift the country’s suspension and restore basketball in the SEA Games calendar. But the POC wouldn’t budge. The BAP’s ploy of holding the country hostage backfired as the POC became even more determined to get rid of the organization that has brought embarrassment to the nation for decades.

The SEA Games went on without basketball in the calendar and as the Philippines emerged the overall champion, the game was hardly missed by fans. Still, a basketball gold would’ve surely added luster to the triumph.

Amnesty For FIL-AMS

When cager Rudy Hatfield was cleared to play by Malacañang, it paved the way for the PBA to reexamine its reliance on the Department of Justice (DOJ) in deciding the eligibility of Fil-foreigners.

Malacañang ruled that the DOJ had no jurisdiction on citizenship issues and consequently, the PBA issued new guidelines in evaluating the status of Fil-foreigners. Among the guidelines were the player must have seen action in at least a game the past season, is a national team veteran and holds a Philippine passport. Eric Menk and Rafi Reavis were the beneficiaries of the amnesty program. The players disqualified from availing of the amnesty program included Jon Ordonio, Alex Crisano and DaVonn Harp.

Ironically, Hatfield has not availed of the program and is rumored to be considering enrollment in a wrestling school in pursuit of a grappling career in the US.

Earlier, Asi Taulava was allowed to play by the courts and the PBA finally acceded to the Talk ‘N’ Text’s persistent appeals to be reinstated. Taulava is a Philippine passport holder and played for the country at the 2002 Busan Asian Games.

And those were the tales that kept basketball in the headlines in 2005.