Our game. Our pride.

The latest grassroots basketball program
(Photo credits to the owner)

As the Philippine Basketball Association continues to lord it over as the country's premier sports and entertainment vehicle, it is rather refreshing to find other organizations willing to develop the sport on the grassroots level.

While the PBA would probably take it as added and unwanted competition (not at the moment, but perhaps if and when someone opts to invest heavily on another league a la the now defunct Metropolitan Basketball Association), it creates jobs for several talented Filipinos and provides them with an avenue to showcase their skillset should they not be "good enough" to make it into the PBA D-League.

Ladies and gentlemen, welcome the Filsports Basketball Association presided by Mr. Lenito Serrano, Jr. and with former PBA star Vince Hizon as its Commissioner.

Now, we haven't had the chance to witness any games live (such are the travesties suffered by an OFW-Pinoy basketball fan) but from what we've heard it's doing quite well. The level of play isn't as good as you'd want it to be, but there are players in the FBA who could very well one day suit up for an ASEAN Basketball League, PBA D-League or pro team.
There are six teams participating in the FBA's inaugural season namely: Pampanga Foton Tornados, Metro Racal Autocenter Artemis, Malolos Mighty BulSU, Q.C. UP Diliman Fighting Maroons, Numero Uno Antipolo Pilgrims and the Laguna BUSA Warriors.

Of the six, the Tornados are deemed the favorites given all the basketball hype and hoopla of the Cabalen program. Then there's the Laguna Warriors which is owned by another PBA star, Nic Belasco, which features a potential PBA first round pick in Ryan Wetherell (should his papers and all of that stuff be okay, of course), this team should give the Tornados some fight as well as other teams such as Meto Racal and even the UP Fighting Maroons.

The league already has a television partner in PTV 4 and they seem to be able to make the news rounds on a constant basis which is really good. Moving forward, we hope that they are able to figure out all the nuances of logistics (travelling here and there is what killed the MBA in the long run *that plus ABSCBN basically saying, we give up, we can't beat the PBA*).

Just for already making it this far into their maiden season, we salute the men and women behind the FBA. Hopefully, more teams follow and that perhaps they could partner with colleges and universities outside of the mainstream, to provide players with some needed exposure and basketball experience.

Can't wait for the 1st FBA alum to make the jump to the PBA though. :)