IT’S the honor, not the finish.
By just being in Belgrade, that’s something to more than crow about.
How many are given the luxury to taste the prestige of getting invited to the mother of all qualifiers?
That’s what we have just achieved. The Fiba (World Basketball Federation) move to insert us to the Olympic Qualifying Tournament (OQT) was like, hey, we’ve just wiped out Covid-19 in the entire archipelago. Awesome.
We beat such Asian basketball powers like South Korea, Iran and Lebanon to the draw.
Indeed, it’s simply unbelievable for Fiba to grant us that rare honor of getting a shot at a much-coveted slot in the basketball program of the Tokyo Olympics in July.
We got the break after New Zealand, already a former Olympian, withdrew due to Covid-19 issues.
If I may hazard a guess: Our invite was in Fiba’s recognition of our timeless love affair with the game, which has become almost a religion to a nation that adores basketball as something like a demigod.
But spectacular as it may seem, the euphoria must end there.
For, if we go by how much are our chances of squeezing through the Qualifying, they almost amount from nil to none. Nothing. Cruel.
We can only dream of making it past the qualifiers. That’s the good side. Dreaming is free, anyways.
With our basketball ranking of No. 32 in the world, that pales so much in comparison with Serbia, the No. 5 in the world, whom we will battle in Belgrade in June.
Before Serbia, there is the Dominican Republic, No. 19 in the world.
While both countries are already that formidable, they are being reinforced by National Basketball Association (NBA) mainstays.
Dominican Republic has Minnesota center Karl Anthony Towns and Boston starter Al Horford. Serbia, a title contender for the longest time, boasts of not only Denver’s 6-foot-11 Nikola Jokic, the NBA’s Mr. Triple Double, but also Boban Marjanovic, Denver’s 7-foot-3 pillar.
We now also have near-seven footers possibly beefing up Gilas Pilipinas through June Mar Fajardo, Japeth Aguilar, Boy Erram, Troy Rosario and Ray Almazan. Throw in 7-foot-3 Kai Sotto and we might yet produce the country’s tallest team ever.
But still, the Belgrade qualifier is like a Mt. Everest climb for us. Aside from Serbia and Dominican Republic, the other qualifying group has Italy, Puerto Rico and Senegal. Just one from the six countries will earn a ticket to Tokyo.
We will fight to the end but then, as I said, it’s not the finish. By just being in Belgrade, it’s already like we’ve reached the Mt. Everest summit—virtually.
One doesn’t have to top the bar to become a lawyer.
THAT’S IT Tiger Woods, recuperating from his leg and ankle injuries sustained from his recent single-vehicle crash, has a doubtful golf future because he is 45 now. The safest bet is for him to hit seniors play for 50-year-olds and above. For sure, he’ll dominate there—if he’d so desire.
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