When Phl won last FIBA-Asia title

It was 27 years ago when the Philippines won its last FIBA-Asia (then known as the ABC or Asian Basketball Confederation) title in Malaysia. The prize for victory was a ticket to the FIBA World Championships (later renamed the World Cup) in Spain on July 5-20, 1986.

What a coincidence that this year’s FIBA-Asia joust in Manila is also the qualifier for the FIBA World Cup in Spain on Aug. 30-Sept. 14, 2014. Although the Philippines won in 1986, the national team gave up its ticket to Spain because of political reasons as the EDSA Revolution refocused directions for the country. That long overdue trip to Spain will be the Philippines’ reward if it finishes among the top three at the FIBA-Asia tournament that ends here on Sunday.

The 13th ABC competition was held on Dec. 28, 1985-Jan. 5, 1986. Like in this year’s edition, there were 15 countries that participated in the Malaysia conclave. China, Thailand and Indonesia were bracketed in Group A. The Philippines, Japan, Jordan and Pakistan made up Group B. South Korea, Chinese-Taipei, Singapore and Hong Kong were in Group C. Malaysia, Iran, India and Sri Lanka comprised Group D. Every team played a group-mate once in the first round of eliminations with the top finisher advancing to the final round of four. The team with the best record in the final round took the championship outright. The format had no knockout quarterfinal, semifinal or final matchups.

The Philippine team was coached by Ron Jacobs and supported by San Miguel Corp. chairman Eduardo (Danding) Cojuangco. The players were Allan Caidic, Samboy Lim, Hector Calma, Franz Pumaren, Yves Dignadice, Elmer Reyes, Alfie Almario, Tonichi Yturri, Jerry Codiñera, Pido Jarencio, Benjie Gutierrez and naturalized players Jeff Moore and Dennis Still. The roster did not include another naturalized player Chip Engelland who would’ve been eligible only in 1987 because of the three-year residency FIBA rule.

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Today, a national team may enlist only one naturalized player but without a residency requirement. FIBA only requires the naturalized player to submit a passport of the country he is representing in a tournament. Engelland is often mistaken to be a member of the FIBA-Asia champion team because in 1985, he played with Moore, Still, Caidic, Lim and Calma on the San Miguel Corp. team that won the Jones Cup title under Jacobs in Taipei. Fans relate the Jones Cup win to the later triumph at the ABC Championships and that’s why the frequent mistake of Engelland’s inclusion in the 1986 cast.

As it turned out, the Philippines wiped out the opposition in the first round in Ipoh, crushing Jordan, 81-70, Pakistan, 100-51 and Japan, 87-70 in that order. The national squad then joined China, South Korea and Malaysia in the final round. One by one, the Philippines disposed of the roadblocks to the throne. Korea fell first, 76-72, then Malaysia, 75-65 and lastly, China, 82-72. The Philippines was the only unbeaten team in the tournament with a six-game sweep.

Korea had beaten China, 74-65, so for the Chinese to win the title via the quotient system in a triple tie, the Philippines had to lose by 15 under the complicated FIBA tiebreak system on the last day of battle. The Philippines, however, didn’t give China a chance as Jacobs’ charges silenced a crowd of 10,000 fans cheering for the Chinese at the Stadium Negara in Kuala Lumpur. China employed a match-up zone and gave the Philippines early fits but Pumaren hit a triple to tie it, 32-all, with 5:28 left in the first half to provide momentum. China got back the lead, 38-37, then Reyes triggered an 11-2 assault that put the Philippines on top, 48-42, at the turn.

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At the start of the second half, Lim ignited a 17-4 surge that opened a 65-48 lead and the Philippines was safely on the way to victory. The national squad enjoyed its largest lead, 74-51, with 10 minutes and 11 seconds left. The game was played in two halves º today, it is split into four 10-minute quarters. Referees Gordon Allan Rae of Canada and Necit Kapanli of Turkey worked the contest. When the Philippines won its previous ABC title in Manila in 1973, Rae was also the referee with American Hugh Richardson.

Caidic led the Philippines in scoring against China with 22 points. Lim contributed 16, Still 14, Moore 13, Pumaren 8, Reyes 5, Calma 2 and Dignadice 2. “The boys played well,” said Jacobs. “It was damn hard. We were mentally fatigued. This was the most strenuous job we’ve ever done. We may have won easy but it was the toughest we’ve ever won.”

Qatar national coach Tim Wisman remembered Jacobs for the Philippines’ heroic effort in 1986. “Ron was a great coach,” said Wisman who has piloted the national teams of England, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Japan and now Qatar in a career spanning over 40 years. “I’ll always remember him. One of his players Chip Engelland is now an assistant coach with the San Antonio Spurs and last year, I had a chance to reminisce with him over dinner in Sacramento. Ron had those two naturalized players Moore and Still and the Philippines was unbeatable during that era.”

What was accomplished in 1986 is what Gilas now hopes to achieve – not only to capture the Asian title but also to earn a ticket to play against the big boys in Spain. The 1986 victory is an inspiring memory for Gilas as it looks forward to the knockout quarterfinals on Friday. A win in the do-or-die quarterfinals will keep the Philippines in contention for a World Cup slot while a loss will end the dream forever.