(From left) A lucky fan poses for a photo with PH’s Jimmy Alapag (holding his son), American streetball legend ‘Hot Sauce’ and Chinese streetball superstar ‘MoreFree’. Photo by Khristian Ibarrola/INQUIRER.net
There’s no doubt international street basketball icons “Hot Sauce’’ and “More Free” have left a lasting stamp on how playground hoops is played , and on Thursday the country’s local basketball scene paid homage to their accomplishments.
Along with the Philippines’ own hoops superstar Jimmy Alapag, the trio cemented their legacy during a hand-print mural ceremony in the Tenement Basketball Court in Taguig City.
A photo posted by King Bally (@kingbally888) on Aug 18, 2016 at 2:14am PDT
The renowned basketball players were representing their respective nations in the upcoming 2016 Global Hoops event at the MOA Arena on Saturday. The trio joins the ranks of NBA’s premiere superstar LeBron James and Filipino-American Jordan Clarkson, who also cemented their hand prints during their separate visits in 2015 and 2016, respectively.
LOOK: LeBron James ‘honored’ to have mural at Tenement court
Even Team USA and Indiana Pacers’ stalwart Paul George graced the famed abandoned-parking-lot-turned-basketball-court last year.
In Photos: Paul George plays street ball at Tenement court in Taguig
Meanwhile, Alapag, who collected a lot of accolades throughout his storied PBA and international career, expressed his gratitude for having his hand prints immortalized in the Tenement court.
“It was a huge honor,” the 5’9 Meralco Bolts guard told INQUIRER.net. “I really appreciate the Tenement for bestowing that honor for me. You think of LeBron and Jordan Clarkson being here and being the first to have their hand prints, its really special.”
The “Mighty Mouse” was also optimistic on the future of Philippine basketball, and hoped his presence would somehow influence the youth to pursue their dreams.
“Just to leave a little bit of mark for the future and not just the young athletes and young kids here in the tenement but also for our country is a great accomplishment for me. Hopefully our young athletes will regain a little bit of inspiration for the success that I’ve been blessed to have with the PBA and Gilas,” he said.
“MoreFree,” meanwhile, was amazed by the country’s dedication to basketball.
“The future is right here,” the Chinese street ball star said while pointing to the onlooking residents of the Tenement. “It’s my first time here and so many kids are playing basketball. I saw a lot of NBA games in TV.”
Playground legend “Hot Sauce” dug in to the deeper objective behind advocating street ball to the youth.
“Its all about inspiring the kids. I was that kid one time, so now its time to inspire these young kids and provide a future for them,” the AND1 mixtape staple told members of the media. “This is what it’s all about. At the end of the day, we challenge each other, play each other, but it’s all for the love of the game.”
Aside from the hand-print ceremony, members of the American street ball squad “Court Kingz” treated the audiences with a gravity-defying dunk fest, while China’s representatives Team RZP dazzled the crowd with slick ball-handling during a friendly pick-up game.
Members of the American streetball squad “Court Kingz” and China’s Team RPC huddle up for a group photo. Photo by Khristian Ibarrola/INQUIRER.net
Local residents of the tenement were also given the chance to showcase their streetball talents with a spirited 3 on 3 competition, with the winners participating in the actual games on Aug. 20.
A photo posted by King Bally (@kingbally888) on Aug 18, 2016 at 7:47pm PDT
Court Kingz player Mani Love poses for a photo with the children of Tenement in Taguig. Photo by Khristian Ibarrola/INQUIRER.net.
Made possible by King Bally productions, Global Hoops 2016 will feature the finest street ballers from the USA, China and the Philippines, while also featuring acts from local hip-hop artists.
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