Thailand, Malaysia punch Fiba Asia tickets

THE SEABA qualifying tournament for the 27th Fiba Asia Men’s Championship is finally over and the last two entries in the 16-nation event known.

“Thailand won over Malaysia last Sunday, thus the two teams will represent Southeast Asia,” announced Bernie Atienza, SBP deputy executive director.

“However, Hagop (Khajirian, Fiba-Asia secretary general) said there will be another draw to be conducted to determine where each team will belong.”

The team that will be designated SEA 1 will join Kazakhstan, India and Bahrain in Group D, while SEA 2 will be in Group C with China, Korea and Iran.

Host Philippines, the third team from Southeast Asia, has chosen to be in Group A with Jordan, Chinese-Taipei and Saudi Arabia.

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No one can blame the Paras brothers Andre and Kobe, sons of PBA legend and show biz comedian Benjie Paras, if they turn their back on mother Jackie Forster, who abandoned them when they were very young.

Through friends, Jackie made it known that she wanted to see her sons, now all grown up. Jackie is currently based abroad.

The boys said they were not prepared for a reunion, the wounds she left apparently still hurting.

Andre, the older of the two, said they were severely traumatized by the abandonment and it took them a long time to move on.

Benjie had been a devoted father, taking care of his two sons singlehandedly.  Still very clear in my memory is the sight of Benjie, muscles and all, carrying his sons, one in each arm, through the corridors of the playing venue.

Benjie brought his two cute sons with him wherever he went.

Benjie has since remarried and the kids are now grownups. The  Paras family has also grown and it seems that Andre and Kobe have found themselves a new mother who cares for them. The two have also bonded well with their new sibs.

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Andre, 17, will suit up for the UP Fighting Maroons this season. He said he’d like to be a movie/TV director someday and is taking up filmmaking at State U.

On the other hand, Kobe who is only 15, will be playing for the La Salle Greenhills Juniors in the UAAP. Right now, he said he is too focused on basketball and his studies—not necessarily in that order—that show biz is merely a passing thought.