Fil-Am Balikbayans Show Off Hoop Skills

Whenever balikbayans announce an upcoming visit back to the Philippines, preparations are made in advance – food to be prepared especially for breakfast (tuyo, dilis [dried sardines and anchovies] and the like), early morning coordination for pick up times at the airport, extended family to be invited to reunion lunches, or in the case of my younger sister, which member of the immediate family will be displaced from their bedroom to accommodate the incoming guests. Regular routines will be put on hold, daily itineraries will be allowed to adjust on a whim. This is the Filipino way.

The recent Manila Live Basketball Championship Tournament organized by the creators of the National Basketball Training Center and their partners was one such occasion. Also known as Play Manila Live, the tournament aims to provide 32 teams comprising players of Filipino heritage--with three age divisions ranging from 19 under to 14 under across the globe--a platform to showcase their ability and enhance their game.

When my family learned that my nephew Diego Duldulao was included in the roster of the Fil-Am Nation Select scheduled to play from March 18-21, our preparations were as strenuous as the practices of the team itself, which was assembled less than a month before the tournament.

Diego Duldualo shooting a free throw during the game against Fil-Euro

Proverbial Red Carpet for the arrival

Upon arrival at the crack of dawn three days before his team’s first game, Diego and his zealous father, Dr. Edmundo Duldulao, immediately set to work right after partaking of a welcome lunch at Diego’s grandparents’ home. The traditional Filipino dishes served would both rival the buffet table of any local restaurant and pose a risk to the blood pressure-challenged. After a quick nap, son and father left with a designated driver in a family vehicle to meet the rest of the team for practice.

MVP of the day: Boss Cochinillo and its delivery services from Sampaloc, Manila.

Defensive player of the day: The presence of a doctor-relative in case someone felt woozy after the meal.

Game 1: @Gameville Ball Park Mandaluyong vs. Borongan City

As soon as I learned about the first opponent, I knew this was a game not to miss. At a far from ideal 2 p.m. game in a non-air-conditioned venue, I was certain the team from Eastern Samar would come in with the trademark Pinoy “physical” type of play against Fil-Ams who have taken collegiate and professional local leagues by storm over the years.

After the first game against Borongan City (L-R): Great-uncle Nelin Sta. Romana, Dr. Duldulao, Diego Duldulao, grandfather Elfren Cruz, grandmother Neni Sta. Romana Cruz, uncle Roel Cruz

Elbows against twangs was my subplot, with no offense to each team’s skills, which they ably showed in a tightly fought contest. But true enough, starting point guard Isaac Yap went flying out of bounds as he and a Borongan player both went for a loose ball, and the latter was thrown out of a game for a second unsportsmanlike foul in the second half. Is it dirty play? Or a type of basketball that separates the soft from the tough? Somebody ask Draymond Green for his opinion. With savvy, athletic plays, the Fil-Ams pulled out a close win bolstered by the scientific coaching of Sherwin Benavides.

MVPs of the Game: 1) Diego’s local barangay cheering squad (grandfather, grandmother, great-uncle, uncle, and two family drivers), also called “hakot” (mustered supporters) locally.

2) The local commentator on the livestream who pronounced the Fil-Am surnames without the twang, prompting a younger sister back in Dublin, California to exclaim in shock, “Why is he saying ‘Duldulao’ like that??” Because that’s how it’s pronounced, I told her.

Play of the game: My mother, who constantly posts about her grandkids’ achievements (which range from winning a regional cheer competition in Arizona to singing in a choir for the Pope in the Vatican) but always claims she has low basketball IQ, just learning about the 24-second shot clock and warnings to players for taunting.

Game 2: March 19, @Gameville Ball Park vs. Homegrown Fil-Australian Team

With everyone fully aware that the next opponent won by more than 70 points in each of their first two games, there was more tension than usual. Boasting a player well above 6 feet tall and a systematic full court press, the first half was up for grabs. Despite the stellar play of Zachary Bualat (who also plays for the 19U Fil-Am Select team), and the grit of the other smaller but determined Fil-Ams, the Fil-Aussies pulled away in the second half, albeit their smallest margin of victory so far.

Somehow I found myself seated next to a few family members of opposing players. They bellowed at the court and also indirectly at each other. But all’s well that ends well. Fellow Filipinos will always find a way to jest about all matters, even after a bitter loss.

MVP of the Game: Generally mild-mannered hoop dads Dr. Edmundo Duldulao and Nimrod Caluma, who turned into a fierce two-man cheering squad that would outclass the most raucous pep squads at De La Salle-Ateneo UAAP games.

Play of the Game: While on the sidelines waiting for their game to start, the team started serenading 16U (16-year-old and under) Fil-Aussie girls team members walking by, eliciting smiles and a blushes, unlike girls that would run away in shock from sudden shoulder taps or blunt inquiries for mobile number exchanges. Cultural differences aside, this Fil-Am team proved they have the heart to win any way they can.

Play of the Game with Definite Dias: Diego Duldulao, 7-8 inches shorter than the Fil-Aussie center, standing his ground after getting pummeled thrice on a post play, causing the behemoth from down under to miss an easy basket.

Game 3: March 19, @Gameville Ball Park, vs Fil-Euro

After a heartbreaking loss, the Fil-Am team just had 6-7 hours to recover before their next game. Not at all disheartened by its earlier loss, the team arrived at the venue full of energy and positivity. They cruised to an easy victory, with all Fil-Am relatives sitting together in the stands, reveling in the team’s return to form.

At Gameville Ball Park, after the game against Fil-Euro

Play of the Game: Dr. Duldulao decided to take the team to our family condo unit in Sequoia Serendra Two in BGC, pampering them with Shake Shack and air conditioning to ensure team spirit remained high, if not satiated and chill.

Game 4: March 21, @San Andres Sports Complex, vs. LDG Academy

The Fil-Ams went all out against LDG, a basketball academy based in Laguna, with some relatives of other players flying in from the provinces to catch this game. Nico Caluma’s hot shooting, Diego’s aggressive play, and the rest of the team’s excellent shot selection and spryness bolstered a win that was already determined in the first half.

MVP of the game: The San Andres Sports Complex air conditioning system, which was definitely worth the price of admission. It was enjoyed by players and family cheering squads alike.

Despite not making the semifinals, the 14U players joined the other Fil-Am teams two days later at the tenement Projects in Taguig for community outreach. It was organized by Project J.O.Y., now playing the role of ambassadors of hope, handing out shoes, clothes, and basketballs to the underprivileged residents and even playing together to wrap up what was probably the most important day of the week.

In the Philippines, it goes without saying that basketball is nearly akin to religion. In every barangay or gated subdivision, there will be three inevitable things: a church, a construction project with the face of a local politician on a nearby tarpaulin seeking acknowledgement, and a basketball court., Hooping runs through Pinoys’ veins, whether they get by with a basket consisting of a can nailed to a block of wood, or are privileged with one in line with professional league standards.

“With savvy, athletic plays, the Fil-Ams pulled out a close win bolstered by the scientific coaching of Sherwin Benavides.”

The Fil-Am Nation Select 14U team proved that “Puso!” (Heart) is not just something they all shout in unison with raised arms grasping each other after a win or a loss. It’s also shown when successfully thwarting a much taller opponent, staying disciplined against a more physical team, or finding time to give back to those who have not been as fortunate so as to hopefully take them one step closer to the dream they share.

Of course, the feisty basketball dads need to make sure that once they’re back home in the Bay Area the Fil-Ams are in top-form for the 2025 edition of Play Manila Live, after all the lechon, crispy pata (roast pig, deep-fried pork hock) and chicharon (pork cracklings) they consumed.

Roel Sta. Romana Cruz mentors young writers for Write Things PH and teaches 21st Century Literature at the Alternative Education Department of La Salle Green Hills. He has contributed personal essays to Philippine Star and The Diarist.PH, while his short stories have appeared in The Philippines Free Press, Philippines Graphic, and Story Philippines.

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