Philippine sports is alive

The euphoria brought by the country’s success in the Paris Olympics has yet to subside but Filipino sports fans remain in a celebratory mood with various storylines from their favorite leagues.

College basketball, for one, is back with the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) and the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) opening their respective seasons this Saturday.

Both the NCAA and the UAAP have interesting stories to tell.

The NCAA is celebrating its 100th year and all eyes are on San Beda University, which is looking to defend its crown against teams that made serious buildups in the off-season like College of Saint Benilde, Mapua University and Letran College.

In the UAAP, De La Salle University is the hands-on favorite as do-it-all forward Kevin Quiambao will be back for another run at the title.

The Green Archers know that winning the title this season will be very crucial to their plan of erecting a dynasty, especially with blue-chip recruits like Mason Amos, Kean Baclaan, Luis Pablo and Jacob Cortez becoming eligible to see action next year.

Aside from the opening of the NCAA and the UAAP, the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) and the Premier Volleyball League (PVL) are also drawing a lot of attention.

In the PBA, the controversial four-point line is turning out to be a stroke of a genius as long-range bombers have turned it into a deadly weapon to rally their teams to victory.

Sure, Chris Banchero of Meralco was the first to officially knock down a four-pointer, but it was Converge import Scotty Hopson who was the first to nail a game-winning jumper from the 28-foot line during their dramatic 96-95 win over TNT Tropang Giga two weeks ago.

If this four-pointer turns out to be a success, the PBA will emerge as a trailblazer in the eyes of the international basketball community for revolutionizing the game. As PBA chairman Ricky Vargas said: “Today we are alone, tomorrow we will be plenty.”

Of course, the PVL is also making a lot of noise.

The country’s premier women’s volleyball league hogged the limelight last week when Creamline won the Reinforced Conference title for the first time in six years.

Despite missing the services of some key players, the Cool Smashers displayed their vaunted chemistry, experience and winning attitude in dumping the erstwhile unbeaten Akari in three sets to protect their legacy and cement their status as the best club team in the country.

But the curtains on the import-laced conference didn’t fall without controversy.

Before reaching the finals, Akari had to endure the wrath of volleyball fans following a controversial non-call on the supposed net touch violation committed by Ezra Madrigal during their semifinal showdown with PLDT.

The uproar was so loud, so intense that the Chargers feared for their lives as some fans went overboard to the point of making death threats. Wow! That’s how rabid volleyball supporters can be as they are willing to do everything to heckle, intimidate and distract those who beat their favorite teams.

For some, the incident may be scary. But for Philippine volleyball, having fans screaming their lungs out and following their favorite players and teams is a good sign, proving that the sport is very much alive.

The more fans get involved, the better for sponsors and the league in general.

We are now living in the golden era of Philippine sports.

Weightlifter Hidilyn Diaz shattered the 97-year-old barrier when she won the country’s first gold medal in the Tokyo Olympics three years ago, while gymnast Carlos Yulo sustained the momentum by making history and winning two gold medals in this year’s Paris Summer Games.

With Diaz and Yulo’s victories, the morale of Filipino athletes is at an all-time high. Suddenly, kids all over the country want to get into sports to become the next Olympic champions, while their parents are busy cheering for their favorite teams and athletes.

This newfound craze that has not been seen since eight-division world champion Manny Pacquiao won the heart of the nation is making a comeback, serving as a healthy distraction from the problems that ordinary Filipinos have to face day in and day out.

Yes, sports is a catalyst for nation-building. And with Philippine sports beaming like a watchtower in the dead of night, ordinary Filipinos have something to look forward to as they continue their journey in this game of life.