Saturday, August 19, 2006
Pacquiao wows Davao crowd in basketball
By Charles Raymond A. Maxey
FILIPINO hero Manny Pacquiao dazzled the Davao City crowd Thursday night with his speed and had the people cheering for every move he executed at the gym.
Back-to-back baseline jumpers, a three-point shot from the top of the key and an alley-oop pass to a cutting teammate were what Pacquiao flashed, not his patented straight lefts, right hooks or body shots.
Yes, Pacquiao came to town not for a boxing match, but for a basketball game when his Pacman-Gensan played the North Cotabato Braves in an exhibition match before a capacity crowd at the Almendras Gym.
Pacquiao, wearing jersey No. 14, went 4-for-14 to finish the game with nine points. He also had three errors and came up with one assist in 20 minutes.
Pacman-Gensan lost the match at 78-76 after a Brave player hit a three-point shot at the buzzer, stunning Pacquiao and the basketball fans who were cheering for the Gensan dribblers.
Pacman-Gensan and the Braves actually participated in a four-day event called the Mayor Roderigo R. Duterte Cup-Battle of Champions, one of the sports highlights of the Kadayawan sa Dabaw Festival, but were eliminated early after two successive defeats.
The exhibition game was a curtain raiser to the Duterte Agilas-Cebu encounter for third place and to the Ozamiz-Digos Montaña matchup for the title.
But, it was no ordinary curtain raiser as Pacquiao showed dribbling, passing and shooting skills that thrilled the crowd no end.
Pacquiao started the game and played the off-guard position. He then missed his first three attempts, but the crowd urged him to keep on shooting.
In the next Pacman-Gensan possessions, Pacquiao started to drew cheers when he executed a behind-the-back and a between-the-legs dribble.
Moments later, Pacquiao dribbled past two defenders and made an alley-oop pass, his teammate receiving the ball in midair and tossing it for two points.
The crowd roared in approval on the play as Pacquiao exchanged high-fives with several teammates as he ran downcourt.
The biggest cheers came at the three-minute mark of the first quarter when a set play freed Pacquiao at the baseline and he made his first basket of the game.
On Pacman-Gensan's next ball possession, another baseline jumper off another set play gave Pacquiao his second basket from the same spot. Seconds later, Pacquiao, dribbling from the top of the key, suddenly fired from afar that surprised his defender and nailed a three-points shot to send the crowd into a frenzy and his pregnant wife Jinkey applauding from the bench.
Pacquiao played for a few minutes in the second and third quarters, but sat it out during the final period.
After the game, Pacquiao and his entourage left to some more cheers from the crowd. This may be the last time the punching machine from General Santos City will be engaging in a basketball game, or in any one his favorite pastimes for a bigger battle awaits him a few months from now.
On Nov. 18, Pacquiao will face Erik Morales of Mexico in a third fight in Las Vegas, Nevada.
For Bisaya stories from Davao. Click here. (August 19, 2006 issue)
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