Hopping onto the broad shoulders

Playing basketball has been Filipinos’ long-time zeal. Anywhere else in the world, Filipinos still bring the ball-and-ring enthusiasm which makes Filipino basketball truly a world-class profession.

Not only Filipinos enter various leagues abroad but imports from other countries and even with Filipino descent try their basketball career in the country.

Some half-blood Australians cross the threshold to play in the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) like Mick Pennisi and Sonny Thoss. Could the list be added with Filipino-Australian Hoopdreamz player Vergel Alcantara who starts making name in the field?

Alcantara grew up in San Pablo, Laguna before heading to Australia where he discovered his ball prowess. He had been visiting the country in holiday seasons and was offered a varsity stint in a Philippine-based college basketball team. “I didn't want to stay

that long and I wanted to go back to Australia and I went to IT working full-time,” uttered by the soft-spoken Alcantara.

He graduated at Northern Sydney Institute of TAFE with a degree in Information Technology and Network Engineering. The six-foot-three guard from Sydney’s South West Region had played in an All-Star charity game last year alongside legendary Australian National Basketball League (NBL) player Bruce Bolden, Daryl “DMAC” Macdonald, and former PBA import of defunct Pepsi Cola, Leonard Copeland. Alcantara, who humbly describes himself as an average-skilled player, became the leading scorer in that game.

True enough, there is so much in stored for this 25-year-old basketball wunderkind where he plays for 10 years by now. He has engaged in several teams in Australia’s state league playing in three seasons already.

He plays a small forward and shooting guard position not minding taking part any of the two. He acts upon what his coaches instruct him to do.

He considered playing in the National Basketball League in Australia but the league is not in pursuit of searching for new players. The sports, itself, is not completely having the rage unlike in the Philippines where basketball paints the town red.

Having watched PBA games in Australia where he regards the players for their fast plays, Alcantara has been a hanger-on of the mentioned league rooting for Talk N’ Text in its every game. He had seen the team played in Australia when it had stood up the pace with Sydney Kings for an exhibition game. “They're pretty fast, pretty cool which is good. They have a good line-up,” said Alcantara.

Applying for a rookie draft this June for the PBA is also conceivable for this Filipino-Australian hooper. “If the opportunity is there and it looks good, I'll consider playing here in the Philippines.” But for now, he still wants to continue his basketball engagement in Australia and focus himself in giving Filipino players a good run for their money in their exhibition games at the Big Dome.

Alcantara was a last-minute addition to the Hoopdreamz White Sharks roster of players who is competing with Yeng Guiao’s Powerade Team Pilipinas in preparation of the latter for the Southeast Asian Basketball Association Tournament this June in Medan, Indonesia, the qualifier for August’s Asian Championship in China. He was put in by Hoopdreamz club director Marco Selorio. Meanwhile, the Hoopdreamz players, along with Filipino coaches on-board Jun Da Jose and Ato Tolentino, are confident to give a good play with the local bet Philippine team

The tall line-up of The White Sharks is what Alcantara thinks their upper hand over the All-Pro RP team. A good game would be expected exhibiting immense physicality steering clear from dirty plays. The team tries to have good ball rotations and avoids piquancy of their tempers.

The half-blooded Australian looks forward to James Yap, Arwind Santos and Willie Miller to perform exceptionally well in the Philippine-Australia Goodwill Game. “James Yap seems to be pretty good. He's a shooting guard I think. Arwind Santos, he's pretty athletic and Willie Miller as well. I mean all of the players are really good,” said Alcantara.

After the affable yet competitive action between the Team Philippines and The Great White Sharks, Alcantara will be heading back to Australia to continue his full-time job in an investment company and do little basketball encounters.

Undeniably, basketball is treated not a game anymore but an abode where everyone gathers for spirited live actions. For a man like Vergel Alcantara, who is still Filipino by heart, believes that the nationality doesn’t affect the players’ sportsmanship.

Sooner or later, the Philippine courts will be jiggled by a strong-willed and high-spirited Vergel Alcantara.

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Story by: Dennis Amata

Submitted to: Jun Lomibao (Business Mirror Sports News Editor)