IT WAS not until the latter part of Fiestang Kuliat 2016 when I was able to participate and play for my team in this season’s Familians Alumni Basketball League or FABL. October was a very busy month for me because of the almost daily activities and events of the fiesta. Fortunately, my batch team were doing well early on and had already won 5 games before I had the chance to play with them. FABL was conceptualized by our batch of 1997 of Holy Family Academy. It started as a mini reunion of my high school teammates during our varsity years where we usually meet on a basketball court and play for some tune-up games. And then we came up with the idea of creating a league where Familian alumni of all ages could reunite and play with or against other Familians for camaraderie and fun.
After the successful first season, FABL became a yearly league of senior basketball. Our team is composed of middle age players namely Gadu Bernarte, Berwin Yambao, Khrys Werthwein, Archie Gorospe, Ryan dela Cruz, Sydney Maniaol, Jojo Basilio, Teddy Galang, Verman Reyes, Mike Dizon, Ricky Mabanta, Ryaniel Miranda, Carl Mangio, Ronald Rubio, Dino Dizon, Eric Francis Lumanog, Kim Vergara, Glenn Punzalan, Sherwin Patdo, JP Lumboy, Joven Sampang, Renante Francisco, Larry Manusig, Marville Rivera, and yours truly. Some players like me could not participate regularly due to difficulty in schedule while others have to go back overseas for their family and work.
Our batch is called “Team Malinis” for some reason which up to now I’m not sure about the real meaning of the moniker. Perhaps I could verify that from Archie Gorospe. Maybe it’s the neatness of our uniform during and after the game, or perhaps the hygiene practice of Sydney Maniaol is so contagious that we want to take a shower right away after the buzzer of the final quarter. I could only guess. But there is a feeling of nostalgia whenever I come to the hard court with these men for I used to play with them wearing just P.E. uniform if not our intramurals shirts. Fond memories of teenage years relived in every bounce of the round leather. Had the league began a decade earlier, our team could have been one of the fastest and most promising among others.
Now that the US election has concluded, Kim Vergara might go home to play with us. It would rain threes from the side corner, that’s his money shot. In his absence, Verman Reyes gladly takes his place as a very reliable rainbow shooter. Another player we are missing is Eric Francis who was a key player in our previous victories. My teammates also miss his cousins who silently cheer at the bleachers. Our other international players are Sherwin Patdo from Singapore and Glenn Punzalan from Australia. Marville Rivera also comes home from time-to-time. The six footers, Gadu and I, had some knee troubles in the past but mine got worse over the years. Fortunately, his got better with consistent therapy and training, and he’s our consistent scorer on the floor.
As we get older, we also become heavier and slower. In the early 2000s, Teddy Galang would crossover his front defender and then usually surprises the final defense with a spin move. Berwin Yambao who’s proficient in his post moves seem to just enjoy the minutes and focuses more on the side lines, like a chess master. Our foreign-sounding teammate Khrys Werthwein plays regularly with finesse like dancing to that funky beat of basketball music. Archie Gorospe has adapted Charles Darwin’s survival of the fittest for when he loses the speed, he’d rather use his tummy to the rim for an “and one” call by the referee. Jo Basilio plays similarly as he pumps the ball hard to disperse opponents to the basket. Carl Mangio who used to be the “crush ng bayan” before he joined the “Dad’s Belly Club” was also a teammate during our high school varsity years. He became busy this season after having an additional member of his growing family. The same story goes with Dino who gets less sleep because of his newborn. College buddies Renante, Larry and Joven were also good players who like most of us got less kilometers per hour on their pedals. It seems like Sydney Maniaol is the only consistent player in our team who works like a horse inside the court.
I learned that my two-year intrams teammate JP Lumboy, still plays well in the higher league in Manila. We got two Ryans who are also very passionate about the game; one will apprehend you in Clark while the other will satisfy your hunger. On our injured list is Mike Dizon, who unfortunately sprained his knee while playing the game. Ronald Rubio (not related to Spain’s Ricky) has also joined the pack. And Doc Ricky Mabanta, who by the years grows his greying hair and beard by inches. Our manager, Jeffrey “Tugs” Vitug is a silent supporter to the team.
The batch gave birth to the league in order for us to enjoy the game that we love through the years, as well as to promote camaraderie with fellow Familians. Onward we go!