On Fille, basketball marathon, Danny I

MANILA, Philippines — The late afternoon call to PBA chair Ramon “Mon” Segismundo Saturday was about several matters.

The first was about Meralco volleyball player Fille  Cainglet,  the second about the Discovery basketball marathon which  will be held at Meralco gym on  March 24, and the third about Meralco’s recent recruitment of veteran Danny Ildefonso, who was signed to a one-conference contract by the Bolts, who at the moment were lying close to the bottom in the team standings of the current PBA tournament.

Segismundo is Meralco’s  governor to the PBA board, but is somehow involved in the company’s other sporting interests. He said he was not aware of Cainglet’s personal plans, but whatever they are, “there will always be a place for her in Meralco if she so desires.”

“Even if she’s married, as long as she’s still fit to play (she can still join us),” he added.

As for Ildefonso, Segismundo said the team’s expectations from the two-time MVP are immediate.

Considering the Bolts’ current predicament, the PBA chair said they expect Danny I to create an instant impact before it’s too late.

“I welcome him to the team with open arms,” he said.

For the Discovery basketball marathon which will be held in partnership with the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas or SBP, he referred me to Discovery COO Jack Ruby, who is on top of the event.

According to Ruby, the whole world has taken notice of this project, which aims to break the current record posted by the Americans in the Guinness  Book of Records.

“Would you believe we got  a total of 170,000 inquiries  from all over the globe?” Ruby informed us. “We hope to break the current record of 112 hours (equivalent to about 4½  days of nonstop playing) established last year. We are targeting 120 hours. The objective is two-pronged. In addition to posting a new record, we hope to raise funds for Spuertyphoon ‘Yolanda’ victims.”

“It’s a global effort to raise money for Gawad Kalinga’s ‘Walang Iwanan’ rebuilding of Visayas communities. That’s why we are letting foreigners in as players. So far, four ex-US NCAA cagers have expressed their interest to join the tryouts.”

The first tryout for the 24 players who will compose the two teams in the marathon was conducted recently. So far, only one aspirant made it: Dr. Larry Macapanpan, a 43-year-old United Nations volunteer who worked in Ethiopia.

“He was en route to his next assignment in Tanzania when he got the marathon slot. Our choice of players will be based not only on physical stamina and endurance, but more on  mental toughness. If Dr. Larry survived six months in Ethiopia, we think he’s qualified for the marathon,” Ruby said.

The second tryout is scheduled this month. Each team will be composed of  12 cagers who will play nonstop against each other for as long as they can.

According to Ruby, three of the players who participated last year, had vowed never to play the game again, while one of them continues to be treated with antibiotics for some kind of respiratory ailment. The players this year will be under close and continuous medical monitoring.