to live, to love, to learn, to leave a legacy… and to laugh along the way
The 60s saw the Philippines slowly lose control of Asian cage supremacy. With the venerable Caloy Loyzaga exiting the playing court, and the other Asian nations slowly learning the rudiments of the game, Philippine cage supremacy in Asia slowly diminished.
In the best-ever finish by an Asian country in the international basketball arena, the Philippines captured the bronze medal in the 2nd FIBA World Championship held in Brazil in 1954. Led by our dynamic duo of Mumar and Caloy Loyzaga, the Philippines surprised the heftier American and European teams with a dazzling display of speed and skill in basketball.
Thailand had the homecourt advantage. Vietnam’s superstar and tournament top scorer Nguyen Xuan Son suffered a nasty broken leg just before half time. Thailand scored a questionable goal to take the lead, 2-1. It looked like the stars were aligning to favor Thailand. But no, the football gods just would not have it that way. And in the end, Vietnam’s winning goal would simply trickle in oh-so-slowly to a defenseless goal. What a roller-coaster ride this game was!
As we step into 2024, the dreams for Philippine sports are ambitious yet achievable. By investing in youth development, enhancing local leagues, and promoting diverse sports, the Philippines can cultivate a thriving sports culture that not only produces champions but also inspires and unites the nation.
From the country’s successful Olympic foray, to the victories against foreign teams in different ballgames, to individual achievements as well as local developments, the year has blessed us with numerous successes that has brought pride and honor to the land.
Kai Sotto, that gentle giant who has found himself a special spot in the Philippine National Basketball Team named Gilas, has been improving his game lately. And reports have it that he is now in the radar of NBA scouts in search for tall durable talents who can bang bodies with the big bad behemoths in the NBA.
Color My World 