PHILIPPINES HAS HISTORIC ROLE IN FIBA ASIA
By Eddie Alinea
PhilBoxing.com
Mon, 17 Sep 2012
MANILA (PNA) -- While the late Sen. Ambrosio Padilla and Dr. Chito Calvo were credited as the main men responsible for the formation of the then Asian Basketball Confederation (now Fiba-Asia), two-time Fiba president Gonzalo ?Lito? Puyat is recognized for the inclusion of the juniors program in the confederation?s order of activities. As then vice president of the ABC, Puyat, ?Spar? to close friends and associates, ?Tolits? to those even closer, fought and succeeded in seeing to it that programs involving the youth (19-under and 15-under) in both the men?s and women?s divisions be implemented. That made the two-time president of Fiba (International Basketball Association) the father, too, of youth basketball this part of the world.
His passion for youth development did not stop there though. To insure the continuity of the program, Puyat, likewise, made a vow that if no one among the member ABC countries would be able to host the youth tournaments, the Philippines will.
Reason why Manila has so far, hosted the junior tournament seven times, the most by any member, from the time Seoul of South Korea earned the right to stage the first championship in 1970.
Believing in the organizational knowhow and expertise of the country in hosting big-time international sporting events, the ABC hierarchy awarded to Manila four of the first seven editions of the biennial conclave from 1972 to 1982.
Incidentally, it was in 1982 when the Philippines 19-under dribblers, headed by PBA great Hector Calma and now coaches Derek Pumaren, Jong Uichico and Leo Austria, last won their six titles.
The Philippines though were not just playing host to their guests for the sake of meeting the commitment made by Puyat. Chief organizers almost always made it a point that the visitors? stay in the country would be as pleasant and memorable to cherish when they got home to their respective nations.
In the 1982 hosting, for instance, the basketball project director, Ambassador Danding Cojuangco, saw to it that no less than the plush Philippine Plaza served as the athletes? village for members of the 16 competing teams in the boys division and eight in the girls side, then a record in number of participants.
The air-conditioned Araneta Coliseum in Quezon City and the historic then newly-refurbished Rizal Coliseum in Manila were the games? main venues. Mini press centers were installed in both for the convenience of media men covering the event.
A red-carpet welcome was accorded to all visitors and officials of the ABC as well as observers from Fiba International.
Every little detail was attended to and taken cared of by staffers from the Cojuango-owned San Miguel Corporation and the now-defunct Basketball Association of the Philippines in an attempt to present a friendly competition atmosphere behind the backdrop of Asian solidarity and goodwill.
First Lady Imelda Marcos, representing the Chief Executive, lent additional prestige to the tournament by being present in the championship game between the eventual champion host country and China.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Eddie Alinea.
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