Fans pick greatest team

This writer received dozens of e-mail reactions to the two-part piece on which of the five all-professional national teams in the open basketball era is the best. Opinions generally leaned toward the first "Dream Team" to the Asian Games in 1990. But all were very strong.

Antonio "Boyet" Dones ([email protected]) sent a very lengthy missive, from which I culled the following:

"Of the 5 teams, which included the present squad, I picked the 2002 Busan version mentored by coach Jong Uichico as the closest thing of being called as "the greatest", closely followed by the 1990 Beijing quintet of Robert Jaworski.

"If not for these "what ifs" that hounded the said team since the beginning, who knows, we may have beaten the perennial powerhouse China: What if RP coach Ron Jacobs did not suffer a massive stroke. Jacobs is widely known in the Asian cage circles as the "China Killer" as evidenced by his unforgotten victories against the "Great Wall" team such as the 1982 Asian Youth finals in Manila and 1986 ABC Championship in Kuala Lumpur.

"What if Danny Seigle did not suffer a major foot injury in an exhibition game against the Qatar? Seigle could have made the big difference in the National team’s campaign in Busan. What if Olsen Racela, a 90 percent free-thrower shooter in the PBA, did not miss from the stripe in the last few seconds of the semifinals game against host South Korea?

"It is still too early to tell and likewise quite unfair to include the present national team of coach Chot Reyes. We still await their campaign in the coming ABC championships in Japan, eyeing an Olympic berth in the process. If the team qualifies for the Beijing Olympics next year, no doubt they are to be considered as the "Greatest Philippine Basketball Team". That remains to be seen.

Atty. John Andrew de Guzman ([email protected]) of Taytay, Rizal has his own take on the question at hand.

"Your dream match-up between the two Philippine teams (1990 and 2007) is like pitting the 1992 US Dream Team and the current US Men’s Team of NBA players, in which case and in both instances, I believe the "original" team will win.

"The 1990 RP Team has the advantage in individual skills, both offensive and defensive. Playmaking or orchestration goes to the 1990 team, hands down. They have the greatest point guard in Hector Calma and a deadly back-up in Ronnie Magsanoc. Then there’s a third point guard who actually plays forward-center – Mon Fernandez. When you talk of outside shooting, you have Allan Caidic of course, Magsanoc, Samboy, Loyzaga and even Gonzalgo. These guys could create shots and find various ways to shoot. Ritualo and Hontiveros are too scientific that they wouldn’t hit their shots unless they are squared to the basket…"

"The big men of the 1990 squad aren’t exactly that big compared to Asi and co., but they could outsmart their bigger counterparts because of their better knowledge of the game. Remember Chito Loyzaga, all of 6’3", guarding that 7’7" North Korean giant Ri and Paras (6’5") scoring at will over 7’1 Japanese center Yamasaki? But since they had only two weeks to practice they were not able to polish their team defense, and this became very apparent in their two losses to China.

"As far as the 2007 RP Team is concerned, I think their one distinct advantage is athletic ability. They’re a lot faster, stronger and quicker and they jump much higher. But that is obviously due to the modern methods and implements of training readily available today. Assuming the 1990 team trains the way the present crop are training, and with Jaworski as coach, it would be no contest. 1990 RP Team wins.

This writer also received a hopeful note from Leandro Caparang ([email protected]):

"With the advancement in sport all of the other teams spend more compared to our own team. It wouldn’t matter in the end because I believe in our team, they can make it happen. I’ve seen them all play and they will dive for the ball, make that extra pass, they’ll make unselfish play. They will rock the house down!"

Twenty-nine year old Joey Carlo Aquino ([email protected]) strongly prefers the original all-pro Philippine team, without prejudice to today’s ballers.

"I was never a Jaworski fan, but he did a heck of a job as a coach back then. He has a lot of respect and admiration to the talents and capabilities of the players of other teams and players.

"Though not as fast as the slashers of the newer generation, they’re more accurate. Even the outside shooting of Caidic, Loyzaga and Magsanoc is better. Yes, this team was only two weeks old, yet they placed second. What more if they had more time to practice? Individually, Paras is a better rebounder than Menk, Hatfield, or even Taulava. Remember how he outrebounded the tall Chinese?"

Gilbert "Toto" Battung ([email protected]) had something to add to this writer’s pieces.

"Bill, I like the two teams you picked but I like the Centennial team (1998) more. That team has toughness as evidenced with that bench-clearing scuffle they had with the Minnesota Golden Gophers. The Gophers led by Quincy Lewis and Kevin Clark gave their all and won, 98-55. The team, though they lost plenty of games in the US, got noticed because of the never-die attitude. Kenneth Duremdes and Olsen Racela were great players on that team. The breakdown you did on the teams was excellent. I’m waiting for others point of view and see what their thoughts are.

Lastly, Roberto Baltazar ([email protected]) says:

"I’ve read both your interesting articles and watched the Hardball episode on the greatest open era basketball team. You were almost unanimous in picking the 1990 team, mainly because it placed second, which none of the other teams had been able to do. But what wasn’t considered was the fact that they never got to face the South Koreans, the ’98 team faced them and placed third. This is another "what if" factor and maybe countered by the argument that the 1990 team had the least time to prepare for the tournament. But I think the above factor should have been mentioned. "

Thanks to all who wrote. More in Saturday’s column.

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Catch tomorrow’s episode of The Basketball Show at 3 p.m. over Basketball TV.