Paging Big J, Florencio & Yoyong, too
BENCH GENIUS: Victims of a vicious first-half ambuscade, the Miami Heat were reduced to stunned stragglers drowning in the home pool in Game Three of the NBA Finals yesterday.
It’s too early to say if San Antonio had indeed scored the turnaround triumph toward a crown win this year. But the victory, which gave the Spurs a 2-1 edge in the title playoffs, was doubly significant in that coach Gregg Popovich made a unique stand after Miami had stormed back to reduce the 25-point first-half lead to only 10 at the start of the final quarter.
It should not escape the eye of Miami basketball president Pat Riley how Popovich essayed that masterpiece in pinpoint problem-solving. Instead of offering fiery resistance, Popovich paced his mainstays while allowing the frantic Heat stars to continue exploding all over the place in the third quarter.
Then, with the opponents visibly consumed, Popovich, after holding back, orchestrated a raring counter blast in the final quarter that readily blew the huffing and puffing Heat off their own hardcourt.
If to a firefighter, Popovich hardly offered resistance in that crucial third quarter. He instead allowed the Heat to roar and rage all the way to their momentary limit, the better to conserve power for the next game.
* * *
THIS serves as a call and request for former Sen. Robert Jaworski to kindly grace today’s gala night of “Pagpupugay: Tribute to the Past 100 Years in Philippine Sports” at Resorts World (Manila).
Organizers with the Taas Noo Inc. have been trying to locate and contact Jaworski, known as the Living Legend, but were unsuccessful as of press time yesterday.
Danny Florencio, now a resident of San Francisco, California and contemporary of Jaworski in both the UAAP and the Philippine national team, is reportedly in town. The colorful two-time basketball Olympian is hereby requested to come and join fellow sporting greats in today’s gala affair.
* * *
An emissary was sent to Pasig City yesterday to locate former national team member Yoyong Martirez and serve an invitation.
Freddie Webb, who starred for the Philippine national basketball team in the 1972 Munich Olympics, has been contacted and is expected to grace the affair.
It will be a gathering of Filipino sporting greats both the living and the immortals, like Pancho Villa, Gabriel Elorde, Felicisimo Ampon, Ben Arda, Simeon Toribio and Teofilo Yldefonso, winner of the first Philippine Olympic medal in the 1928 Amsterdam Olympics.
* * *
Yldefonso’s bronze medal, retrieved from the rubble of the last war, will be on exhibit.
The ball used by the Philippine national basketball team which won the bronze medal in the 1954 World Basketball championship in Brazil, will be on display.
There will be a feast of heart-warming memorabilia and art work but expected to steal the show is the little episode on how the wounded Yldefonso, a member of the Philippine Scouts, had refused safe passage offered by a former Japanese Olympic rival and instead opted to stay close to his comrades until his death in captivity.
* * *
As the organizers noted, the main idea is to re-awaken Filipinos, both young and old, to retrace and be guided by the sacrifices, gallantry, dedication and the honest heroism of these great Filipinos.
“We celebrate their greatness. Our DNA hasn’t changed, we could be great,” said Taas Noo Inc.
Carlos “The Big Difference” Loyzaga, member of the all-world 1954 Mythical Team, was preparing to attend but broke a leg bone in an accident at home a few days ago.
Manny Pacquiao wanted to come, but had to beg off at the last minute to leave with his family for a pilgrimage in Israel.
* * *
“Pagpupugay,” which will evolve into a full-scale non-profit sports and character development program, has received tremendous encouragement from various sectors.
Resorts World has offered to host it regularly, while a plan is afoot to mount a school tour of the historic project.
Organizers are looking for a metro mall where a bigger audience could appreciate it for free.
