Fil-Am Nation Select has quietly been serving as a bridge for potential stateside hoops talent to play in their grandparents and parents’ homeland.
Ethan Anderson, a sophomore at La Cañada High, was selected to be part of the Fil-Am Nation Select 16U teams, which consisted of players from Illinois, Nevada, Hawaii, San Diego and Los Angeles.
Anderson was part of the Fil-Am Nation 16U Select 1 team, which won the age group’s first championship of the Manila Live Basketball Championship Tournament.
Fil-Am Nation Select teams compete in the Manila Live Basketball Championship Tournament. A total of 32 teams from the Philippines, the U.S., Canada, Australia, Europe and New Zealand will compete for the championship title in their respective age division.
The 16U team defeated the Flying Eagles Dubai, 100-47, in their first game. The group followed up the victory with another win, a 94-83 triumph over EDSCI Green Knights from the Philippines. The team advanced to the quarterfinals with an 83-36 win over Western Australia, and defeated LDG Academy of the Philippines, 91-59, to reach the semifinal round. The group booked a spot in the championship game with a 83-68 victory over Bagong Cabuyao of the Philippines.
In the championship game against Philippines-based team Mighty Warriors, the 16U group cruised to a 103-95 victory to win the title.
The team hosted tryouts across the country ahead of the tournament, and players first met each other during their one and only practice on March 17. The players played their first game the very next day.
The growing Fil-Am roster of talent has eventually ended up playing for their respective national teams and serves as a prime platform for getting scouted for colleges.
The creators of the National Basketball Training Center and their partners partnered to form the Manila Live Basketball Championship Tournament.
Aside from hosting basketball games, the Fil-Am organization put together memorable experiences filled with learning opportunities, including exposure to the players’ cultural heritage through a series of charitable events and the love for the sport.
Anderson participated in an outreach event at the Taguig Tenements basketball court. The court sits in the middle of a residential building. This building was a public housing project constructed in 1963 as a response to the influx of migrants moving to the area. The outreach was part of an Eagle Scout project for Anderson’s friend Mason Mejia, a freshman at Loyola High School. The group passed out basketball shoes, jerseys and backpacks.
Philippine basketball has grown drastically globally over the years in visibility, number of players, skill level and organizations across the world. It is time to celebrate that success, continue the momentum and promote the game from the grassroots level with an event created exclusively for Filipino heritage basketball. The Manila Live tournament provides Filipino heritage players across the globe a platform to showcase their ability to the country and grow their game.
First published in the May 2 print issue of the Outlook Valley Sun.
