Women want share of Guinness hoop record

Jack Ruby of Discovery Access, which is organizing the March 24 basketball marathon to be staged at Meralco Gym in Ortigas, never mentioned that the tryouts were also open to women.

He only informed the Inquirer two days ago after the second tryout that two girls were in the short list of candidates from where the two teams of 12 players would be chosen.

He was not yet at liberty to reveal the names and background of the two ladies, Ruby said.

“One is a college student while the other is a teacher,” was all he would say.

The Manila basketball marathon will attempt to break the Guinness record established by the Americans last year.

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Ruby leaves for Chicago this week to meet the former US NCAA Division l players who will join the basketball marathon.

“The three cagers will join me in a fund-raising event for Supertyphoon “Yolanda” survivors, which is being sponsored by Gawad Kalinga. We are trying to build a village in the Visayas for those victims who were left homeless by the catastrophe.”

“Would you believe we got 300,000 inquiries for the second tryout this weekend?”

According to Ruby, they have trimmed the candidates down to 200.

“Compared to the first tryout, we have more female applicants now. Players from as far as the Visayas flew in to try their luck.”

Right now, Discovery is in the process of picking the top 100 applicants to get them ready for the emedical screening they will undergo at Medical City.

To break the American record of four and a half days, the players from Manila will have to play at least five days non-stop, the 12 players in each team alternately eating, resting and sleeping.

Meanwhile, a bit of boasting from Ruby: “While in the United States, I will attend the Sundance Film Festival in Utah as country representative of Discovery Philippines. I’m going to meet Hollywood and Indie actors, watch three premieres, red carpet and all. Am preparing my winter attire because it’s 39 degrees below zero, I’m told.”