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By Chito Vilar - AFF
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Tuesday, 01 July 2008 |
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It was a weekend to remember for the Basketball aficionados in Las Vegas last May 24-25. FIBT, headed by Ponky Alolor an ex PBA star, hosted the weekend tournament participated by twenty four teams from different states from as far as Hawaii, Florida, Vancouver, Chicago and others. It was also a place to glimpse & watch former PBA greats like Ponky Alolor, Bernard Fabiosa (former Crispa player), Chris Jackson (looks like an NBA player) who is a cousin of one of our All Stars, Harold McGrier, and other greats I cannot recall. One ex PBA star that we cannot forget is Naning Valenciano who played with the Phoenix All Stars of the Masters Division. He still showed flashes of his talent with his clutch shooting and helped our team made the game close in the first half but our team eventually lost. A product of La Salle Taft in 1981, he became a member of the Philippine National Team and RP Youth Team from 1982 to 1984. He played 11 seasons in the PBA with teams like Pepsi, Purefooods, Alaska and Sta. Lucia.
The Masters and Open Division lost all their games but everybody had fun playing, just watching other All Stars play and enjoyed meeting other people from other states. One thing that I saw was the motivation of our players to improve their talents so they can represent the Phoenix area better next year. Two bright spots: Jasun Nimes, an athletic 6’-3” seventeen years old high school player who can do the point, shoot, drive to the basket and dunk. He was being scouted by some agents there to play in the Philippines. Other players call him a ‘sure PBA’. Another one is Khalif Fortune, 6’-3”, 22 years old who is already in the Philippines right now in the LIGA Filipinas to play in the minor leagues. Phil-Am players should spend a year in the minors before they can go pro or go to college there first. This year was a learning experience for everybody. PASAA has already plans for the upcoming leagues and All Star players will be selected from the league. This league will enhance the player’s athletic talents and provide them with better competition. Hopefully next year, and I believe, we will be at par with the other All Star teams in Las Vegas for the 2009 Memorial Weekend tournament. The players and the coordinators would like to thank Rino Aquino of Asian Bistro Restaurant, Dr. Red Espiritu of the Arrowhead Medical & Aesthetic Center and Cris Cabinian for their support in providing uniforms to the players. |
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Last Updated ( Tuesday, 01 July 2008 )
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