Still the No. 1 sport

Despite volleyball’s increasing popularity across the archipelago, there is no doubt that basketball remains the country’s No. 1 sport. And with Gilas’ recent feats, fan interest has billowed to impact growing audiences in hoop leagues from pros to minnows. PBA commissioner Willie Marcial, who served as the Golden Gilas’ deputy team manager at the Hangzhou Asian Games, said how the national team fares in international competitions has a direct consequence in either dropping or raising engrossment in the sport.

The PBA took a leave of six months to give way to Gilas’ participation in the FIBA World Cup and Asian Games this year. The league set up an OnTour summer series to keep players sharp and lay out a platform for free agents and prospective rookies to display their wares but no championship was at stake so the games were exhibition in nature. It was a gamble to put the PBA at risk with Gilas’ fate in the balance. A poor showing in both the FIBA World Cup and Asian Games would’ve sparked a downtrend in the turnstiles and media views.

But the PBA was committed to support Gilas, no matter what. The challenges to assemble a competitive lineup were severe. Justin Brownlee couldn’t play in the FIBA World Cup and underwent surgery to remove bone spurs in his foot. Jordan Clarkson and Kai Sotto checked in late, leaving coach Chot Reyes cramming for chemistry. After four straight losses, Gilas made a resounding breakthrough with a 21-point win over China to end its World Cup campaign on a high note. The euphoria it created was a crescendo. Then came the golden finish at the Asian Games, a rousing climax to Gilas’ journey against all odds. Coach Tim Cone worked a miracle in Gilas’ one-point knockout wins over Iran and China then took care of Jordan in the final. The euphoria reached unprecedented heights.

The other day, I attended the Rotary Club of Manila’s recognition rites to honor EJ Obiena as its Jorge B. Vargas Outstanding Athlete of the Year awardee at the Manila Polo Club. The doorman at the club walked up to me and said he had lost interest in the PBA because the national team couldn’t make headway in international competitions. He remembered the Philippines’ silver-medal finish at the 1990 Asian Games as the last glorious moment of the national team. But with what Gilas showed at the FIBA World Cup and Asian Games, the doorman said his interest in the game has been rekindled and he’s back to watching the PBA, MPBL, PSL, UAAP, NCAA and whatever else.

At the PBA season-opening rites last Sunday, the Golden Gilas squad was cited amid thunderous applause. The league welcomed the return of four players who saw action in the recent FIBA World Cup and Asian Games – San Miguel Beer’s June Mar Fajardo and CJ Perez and Barangay Ginebra’s Scottie Thompson and Japeth Aguilar. Ginebra’s Jaime Malonzo also played in the FIBA World Cup while San Miguel’s Marcio Lassiter and Chris Ross, NorthPort’s Arvin Tolentino, NLEX’ Kevin Alas, TNT’s Calvin Oftana and Meralco’s Chris Newsome were on the Asian Games squad. The heroes were back on homecourt and the fans couldn’t be prouder.