76er here for NBA Madness in Manila

We’re not talking about Allen Iverson, but this A.I. sure will also be a big hit among NBA-loving Filipino fans.

Andre Igoudala, the Philadelphia 76ers third year forward who had a memorable battle with Nate Robinson in this year’s NBA Slam Dunk competition will be in Manila July 19-22 to be part of NBA Madness 2006.

NBA Madness, now on its sixth year in Manila, tries to bring the NBA closer to its fans worldwide and this year’s Manila stop will be highlighted by the presence of not just Igoudala but also New York Knick Channing Frye and the high-stepping San Antonio Silver Dancers.

Filipino fans love to see the Slam Dunk and the execution that brought the house down at this year’s All-Star competition at Houston, Texas, courtesy of Igoudala.

A.I. did the unthinkable when he caught a pass from teammate A.I. (Allen Iverson) off the back of the glass and then managed to glide under the backboard and the rim for the reverse jam.

The dunk was so outrageous and dangerous that defending Slam Dunk champion Josh Smith remarked that he’d never try that caper, even after seeing Igoudala pull it off. In fact, Igoudala, an Arizona Wildcat, scraped his face on the backboard on his first attempt of that dunk.

"I came up with it one day during summer. I was in the gym and this guy told me I couldn’t touch one side of the backboard and come to the other side and dunk the ball, and I did it," Igoudala said. "It came from that and I’m glad I got a chance to show it to the crowd," he added.

Igoudala might have lost to Nate Robinson due to some allegedly dubious scoring from the judges, but he was able to win over the fans who appreciated his fearlessness and audacity just to give them a good show.

Expect the same when he comes to town to thrill Pinoy basketball fans personally at NBA Madness 2006.

NBA Madness, the fan extravaganza that promotes basketball in a carnival atmosphere, holds the last leg of its NBA Madness Mall Tours July 20-22 at the Araneta Coliseum Parking Lot and Concourse.

This year’s event culminates in a Celebrity Jam on July 22 where Igoudala, Frye, the San Antonio Spurs Silver Dancers, and local bands and entertainers cook up a storm of music, fun and basketball. NBA Madness is co-presented by Coca-Cola and Solar Sports, with Magic 89.9, K-Lite 103.5, Snickers, Manila Bulletin and Fudge Magazine. Venue partners include Robinsons Malls and the Crowne Plaza Galleria.