On Heartbreak and Moving On

Never have I felt more betrayed.

In my 17 years as a basketball fan, never have I felt more betrayed by the game that we, the Filipinos, love so dearly.

We play the game in the streets, wearing our flip flops, risking our lives all for the game that we love. Buwis Buhay Basketball. Air Tsinelas. That is Philippine Basketball.

The love the Filipinos have for basketball goes beyond the basketball court. You see it anywhere. It's in books, jeepneys, advertisements and many more. Filipinos love, and breathe Basketball. Filipinos apply so much damn effort to show that they truly love this game. Sa totoo lang, parang di nga effort eh. Parang effortless nga yung mga ginagawa ng mga Pinoy eh. Ganyan kamahal ng mga Pilipino ang basketball.

Despite all the effort that we Filipinos have shown, here we are.

Heartbroken.

Betrayed.

Seemingly left alone, with nothing else to hope for.

Once again, Gilas walks out of the court, heartbroken. (Photo Credit: InterAKTV)

The first time Gilas lost in the World Cup, it felt pretty good. Moral victory kumbaga. I mean, we lost by 3 points, in overtime against a highly favored Croatian team with a number of NBA prospects. It was a good loss. Then, came the game against Greece. We stayed close the whole game, but, we still couldn't pull it off. It was alright, they're the number 5 team anyway, and they have that Freak with a headache of a last name. The same went for the game against Argentina, except Argentina is ranked #3, and they didn't have anyone with a difficult to spell last name.

Those are three consecutive cases of heartbreak. Siguro naman sanay na tayo diba?

Sadly, no matter how many times our hearts are broken, it still hurts, every single time.

Here we are, fresh of a loss against Puerto Rico, with our hearts broken once again. Sanay na rin naman tayo masaktan diba? Paulit - ulit na rin naman, kaya dapat manhid na tayo!
Kaso, di ganun eh. Mahal talaga ng mga Pilipino ang basketball. Kahit ano ang mangyari, masakit ang bawat pagkatalo ng ating koponan.

Probably the game of basketball really isn't meant for us.

Maybe we just have to stop forcing this game which isn't meant for us Pinoys who have an average height of less than 6 feet.

This relationship could just be a big mistake for the country.

Basketball. doesn't love us, so maybe we have to stop loving it as well.

Question is, if we do that, will it be worth it?

Here we are already, at the grandest stage of them all, failing. But, in the end, we're in the grandest stage of them all already. Among the numerous teams in Asia, here we are, shocking the world. We weren't even expected to be here, showing the world what #PUSO truly means. Yet, here we are, strutting our stuff while FIBA Commentators exclaim, "Laban Pilipinas, Puso!"

After all, in every relationship, heartbreak is inevitable.

You know what else is inevitable? Moving on, and finding something even better.

You know what's best? When the answer to all your heart break is there already.

Other than Junemar, you have Kiefer, Ray Ray, Greg, Jeron, AVO, Jolo Mendoza, Kobe Paras and many more as building blocks for the Gilas Program. Watch out. (Photo Credit: Spin.ph)

The amount of talent which Philippine basketball has today is unprecedented. Right now, you have Junemar Fajardo, Kevin Alas, Garvo Lanete and Paul Lee developing as they play for Gilas Pilipinas. You have guys like Jolo Mendoza, Kobe Paras, Aaron Black, Thirdy Ravena, Matt and Mike Nieto and Jolo Go playing well even as High School players in the U17 and U18 tournaments. Of course, there are Kiefer Ravena, Ray Ray Parks and many more from the collegiate ranks. Finally, you have the hidden Fil - Foreign prospects. Recently, reports of a 6'7 Fil Nigerian who wants to play for the Philippines have surfaced. Add to that rumors of a 6'5 Fil Australian who is only 12 years old who plans to get a Philippine passport soon.

Some people may laugh at Gilas Pilipinas for even trying despite the idea that they have absolutely no chance of winning any game in the World Cup. Some people may be feasting on the fact that us Philippine Basketball fans have looked like fools for even supporting and believing in Gilas through their participation in the World Cup.

We may be fools.

We may be fools who have seemingly wasted their time with loving something that seemingly broke our hearts time and time again.

But in the end, hope springs eternal, and we will rise.

World Cup, check. Next stop, Asian Games.

Our may hearts may be broken, but Gilas, we can damn assure you, no matter what happens, we will support and shout with you, with all our heart..

LABAN PILIPINAS, PUSO!