Flying on faith/The last Streetball

A group of talented and polished US NCAA players will be playing against Pilipinas Basketball tonight at the Ynares Center as part of a two-week tour of playing and preaching. The Athletes in Action is continuing a tradition of reaching out through sports. Other Christian basketball teams from the United States, like the Champions for Christ, have also toured campuses throughout the country. If you recall, AC Green came here after winning his first championship with the Los Angeles Lakers in 1987.

The squad in the Philippines, is one of 11 Athletes In Action teams to be playing overseas this summer. The team includes Patrick Britton (Rice), John Chappell (South Carolina), Trent Drafts (Charleston Southern), Tim Lyle (James Madison), Beau Muhlbach (Texas A&M), Luke Murphy (Cleveland State), Gabe Norwood (George Mason), Yuliyan Radionov (Bulgarian National Team), Reed Rawlings (Samford), Larry Sharrett (King) and Matt Short (Oregon). Morris Michalski, the former head coach at Bryan College, will coach the team. The smallest player on the squad is 6’2".

The players, who had never played together, gathered in Dayton, Ohio, for a five-day training camp before flying over. The team is also doing some charity work and conducting basketball clinics for children. The tour aims to provide a rich cross-cultural experience for each of the members, provide great competition for some of the best teams in the country, and help organize a Philippines Athletes In Action basketball touring team, and honor Jesus Christ through sharing their personal relationships with God.

"We are really looking forward to having our own team, as well," says Hans Pe of Athletes in Action here in the Philippines. "There are many ways we can reach the youth, but basketball is very close to Filipinos."

"For me, this is the best way I can serve the Lord," said former De La Salle point guard BJ Manalo, who is now working with Athletes in Action full-time. "I still have offers to play in the PBA, but I feel my life is being guided in this direction."

There are quite a few NCAA tournament veterans on the team. Among them is Gabe Norwood, an incoming 6’5" senior out of George Mason, who came off the bench to help his school to its first-ever Final Four appearance. Norwood, who can play one, two or three, led George Mason to the highest placing of an 11th seed, and topped his team in bench scoring and minutes off the bench.

Six-foot seven Reed Rawlings out of Samford University has played four years in the National Basketball Development League (NBDL) and was named to the All-Star team in the 2004-2005 season. That year, he was in the league’s top 10 in field goal percentage and three-point field goal percentage.

"We’re looking forward to experiencing the Philippines for the first time," says 6’7" Tim Lyle, a two-time Academic All-American from James Madison University. "This is our first time here, and we want to be able to learn as much as we can about the people here. I personally didn’t know how that basketball was big here."

So far, the team has used its size and shooting to win tune-ups against Mapua, UP and Ateneo. Tonight will be their acid test, though, facing a Philippine team that has been hungry for action. the Athletes in Action line-up includes two seven-footers in Matt Short from the University of Oregon, and John Chappell from the University of North Carolina.

Athletes in Action counts many pillars of the NBA community among its faithful. At its All-Star Breakfast held on February 18th, Jerry Colangelo discussed how his faith had helped him discern his path that led him to becoming chairman and CEO of the Phoenix Suns. Dikembe Mutombo was cited for the efforts of his foundation to improved medical care in his native Congo. Other NBA All-Stars were similarly honored. NBA on TNT studio host Ernie Johnson was master of ceremonies. At their Legends of the Hardwood Breakfast coinciding with the NCAA Final Four, Athletes in Action handed out awards in honor of legendary UCLA coach John Wooden, the epitome of both excellence and faith.

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DAVAO CITY — Yesterday was the Mindanao finals of the 11th aidas Streetball Challenge, which will be making its farewell tour this year.

Citing the changing trend toward variations of five-on-five basketball, adidas Philippines will modify its longest-running halfcout event into a fullcourt competition in 2007. In the meantime, Streetball will be in Metro Manila next weekend, then will move on to Baguio after two weeks, then Cebu, before bringing all the top boys’ and girls’ teams to the Mall of Asia for the national finals middle of August.

For the last time, the top teams will have a chance to represent the country in the adidas Asian Streetball Finals in Guangzhou, China. There are also plans for Houston Rockets guard Tracy McGrady to come to the country.

On its tenth anniversary last year, the adidas Streetball Challenge honored its most celebrated alumni: Enrico Villanueva of Red Bull, Wesley Gonzales of San Miguel Beer, PJ Simon of Purefoods, JR Quinahan of Granny Goose, and BJ Manalo of Athletes in Action.