We were having a late lunch when Edmund’s friend, Boy Sablan, phoned offering two free tickets to their basketball game against Alaska scheduled at 4 pm. Rodil Boy Sablan was UST’s assistant coach during the time of Pido Jarencio. He was Edmund’s team mate long time ago. He’s now the assistant coach of Blackwater Sports Elite team owned by Ever Bilena Cosmetics founder Dioceldo Sy. The head coach is Leo Isaac.
E——–“Gusto mo bang manood?”
A——–“Today? What time?”
E——–“4”. “Iwan nya tickets sa gate”.
I looked at my watch, it was 3:15 pm.
E——–“Wala naman tayong pupuntahan?”
A——–“Sige”.
E——–“Hindi naman tayo kailangan on time. Kahit second half na tayo dumating. Uwi muna tayo, magpapalit ako ng damit. Pareho tayo’ng naka -itim baka tanungin…. nagluluksa”.
A——–“This is navy blue”.
We went home for a quick change. Edmund claimed our tickets at the Smart. Araneta gate. I wonder how much Smart Telecommunications paid the Aranetas to attach the word Smart to the coliseum’s name. When (take note WHEN) I became a super dooper mega ultra billionaire in Pounds sterling, US dollars, Rupee, Malayasian Ringgit, Dinar and Euro, I will pay Araneta for the naming rights. Change Araneta to Annie. Smart Annie Coliseum. Don’t say it. I know it’s corny.
The game had started.
Blackwater’s opponent is Alaska. Medyo daig na daig sila.
It’s been ages since we’ve watched a PBA game. The mood’s very different from a UAAP game where there’s more energy from the audiences.
Watching basketball wakes up a lot of emotions. When people get tensed you need to release that intense burst of emotion. This is where one learns basketball terminologies.
Baba! Baba! (Run faster to the other court and position yourselves).
Bano! (The player couldn’t shoot well.)
Tira (Shoot it)
Tirahin mooooo.. (Physically hit the opponent on the face by using elbow)
ISAKSAK MOOOOO! (Dunk it) I learned this during Edmund’s UAAP Varsity heydey, I always shout this even when I am at home watching basketball. My children would look at me like what is that?”
Anak ng put…….aaaaaa! (no translation needed).
No that’s not me shouting.
E——–“Ano ba yan nadapa sa guhit”.
A——–“Tart, ako nga nadadapa sa hangin”.
Hayden Kho and Vicky Belo were there for Blackwater. Belo wasn’t really watching the game, she was playing Candy Crush. Occasionally, Hayden would teach her how to do it. How sweet.
They left after the game and so did singer Christian Bautista.
I couldn’t get a good shot of Blackwater’s mascot kasi it’s so dark. Black talaga.
The next game was Purefoods vs. NLEX. Since it was still early, we decided to stay for one quarter to watch James Yap, Asi Taulava, etc.
Galing magshoot ni James Yap, shoot na shoot. kaya pala he’s always MVP.
Asi Taulava belongs to the NLEX team owned by Manny V. Pangilinan.
James Yap belongs to Purefoods, owned by San Miguel Corporation.
Konting konti na lang, I was tempted na to buy sweet corn. This is the modern version of binatog (in Manila) or kinabog (in Rizal).
We went out to buy some refreshments. Edmund bought coffee and cinnamon from Starbucks.
I bought a pack of potato chips from Cibo. When Edmund saw the supot he asked “Marami ba yan?” Na gets ko, gusto rin nya. I went back to Cibo and bought another pack.
Even if a team is winning, they still have to review their game plan to make sure the opponent is not able to catch up.
Purefoods’ coach is Tim Cone, an American who moved to the Philippines when he was 9 years old because his father found a job here. He has a long list of PBA championship titles as coach. He received the PBA Coach of the Year last April 2014. Ang laki siguro ng sweldo nya ano. Pero sulit naman dahil he’s the best so far.
Former PBA superstars Jerry Codinera and Alvin Patrimonio were there at the bench of Purefoods. Jason Webb too. All of them were wearing rolled-up sleeves polo shirt and a thin necktie.
There was a simple dance intermission. It’s nothing compared to the flip and tumble sequences of the UAAP team’s dance groups with high flying jumps and death defying throwing of skinny girls into the air.
The intermission was well appreciated. I was beginning to get bored and their dance was a welcome entertainment.
To avoid the crowd and traffic, we left 7 minutes before the 4th quarter ended, with NLEX no match to Purefoods’ more accurate shooting and less mistakes.
Btw, we saw Michela Cazzola, the pretty Italian girlfriend of James Yap, Danica Sotto, the wife of player Jean Marc Pingris, and many others.
