Sol Mercado was such a marked man in Game 1 of the Best-of-5 Quarterfinal series between Rain or Shine and Purefoods, he had all the marks to prove it.
Often during deadball situations, Mercado approached referees to show scratches on his biceps and slap marks on his forearms. Congratulations Mr. Mercado, consider those stinging seals of approval. You’ve arrived. And so has Rain or Shine. Read the rest of this entry »
I caught an Asean Basketball League (ABL) game between Idonesia’s Satria Muda BritAma and the KL Dragons on ESPN the other day. It’s like watching basketball during the Southeast Asian Games with the addition of American imports. The BritAma Arena wasn’t packed, but fans got their money’s worth thanks to a closely-fought game.
The home-and-away format gives the ABL a true regional touch. Home-court advantage makes games fun to watch for the home crowd. The accompanying pressure of playing at home and the challenge of playing on the road adds to the relevance of each game. It’s also a format fans in Southeast Asia, all rabid football followers, are familiar with. Read the rest of this entry »
In my last post, I shared a personal switch from one classic shoe model to another. I don’t see it as a switch from one popular brand to another. I see it as a move from one time-honored basketball shoe to another time-tested basketball shoe design.
So I bought a new pair of low-cut basketball shoes for both simple and mythical reasons. Quite simply, I needed a new pair. January marks the start of a new year, my annual alumni basketball league and new series of coed games. Read the rest of this entry »
In the stereotype high school world, there is a line. On one side, the jocks stand lined up, all big, beefy and exuding manliness and machismo. On the other side, there are the dorks/geeks, in all their four-eyed glory, with the mythical pocket protectors and suspenders in place.
Rarely is this line ever crossed, and even more unthinkable is the idea of the line blurring, or *gasp*, even disappearing.
Things are actually a little different today. Read the rest of this entry »
After playing in all-white Nike Air Force 90 low-cuts, I’ve decided to go back to good ole Adidas Superstars. It’s really going from one classic to another. Both are timeless in design, near-faultless in function. Somehow, though, I always felt the Air Force 90’s were a bit chunky. Stable. But chunky.
I loved playing in Superstars before. They’re lighweight, unpretentious and focused. They’re basketball shoes, period. Read the rest of this entry »
