Basketball: It's More Fun In Xavier

This article was supposed to be published in the main issue of our school paper, Stallion, but due to some circumstances, we didn't come up with a main issue this year. So here is my article for the main issue. The theme for the issue is what are the things More Fun in Xavier. Hope you like it... Forgive the structure of this article. I just copy-pasted it from my computer. #TeamPetiks

          There’s a myth that says that the Filipinos are the most passionate and die-hard fans of the game of basketball and that’s been proven by international acclaimed sports writer Rafe Bartholomew in his novel, Pacific Rims, which talks about the Filipinos deep connection with the game. Here in Xavier, it’s no different.

           As early as Grade 1, one could see the tiny and energetic elementary students strut their stuff in our very own Rafael Cortina Sports Center, then it was the Quadrangle; even purposely skipping their lunch breaks just to ‘reserve’ a court. You see them dribbling with two hands, double dribbling amidst constant double, triple, or even quadruple teams, and even making their own rules such as the infamous ‘double’, wherein one cannot grab his own missed shot if it didn’t hit the rim. They didn’t mind anything. They paid no attention to their sweaty uniforms, leather shoes, the slippery floor, or even playing a game of 10-on-15. They played the game because they loved it. It was a way for them to engage with their fellow classmates- a bonding activity.

            There were even certain strategies on ‘reserving’ a court for break times. You could ask the fastest runner in your class to sprint down to the Sports Center. Another could be that you’d ask your friends whose teacher dismissed them earlier to do it for you in exchange for him a chance to play in the game. Others were just that desperate that they would run once the bell rang and give no particular regard for whatever sanction they would receive from the teacher. To the point of desperation, we even used plastic bags as marker for our court.

          Playing basketball during lunch breaks often completed one’s day. You could talk about it forever and ever how you masterfully snuck in the paint for a reverse lay-up or laugh about someone’s dumb blunder. Basketball was a medium used to unite Xavereans. You could never say that you truly are a Xaverean if you haven’t played a single game of basketball; or you would be missing out on so much.

            Improvement never stops. As one grew older, Xavier would provide its students an opportunity to try-out for the school’s varsity team- the Golden Stallions. During the try-outs, literally hundreds of aspiring students would go to the gym and patiently wait for their turn- their chance to become the next Eric Yao, Joseph Yeo, TY Tang, and Chris Tiu.

         During these try-outs, most of the students just go for the fun of it and with the hope that they would luckily make the cut.  Only a select few really want to become the next King Stallion, a basketball term often associated with the school’s best basketball player.

            Being a varsity player in Xavier is a much more different experience compared to the other schools. Xavier prides itself in creating and producing student-athletes- players who excel both on and off the court. 

          In Xavier, the players and the students pride itself in tradition. The long history of talented players will forever be remembered. Who will forget the original King Stallion Eric Yao who still to this date holds the Tiong Lian record with a 45.8 point per game average highlighted with a career-high 64 point performance during Game 2 of the Tiong Lian Finals, The Ninja Joseph Yeo, the first Xaverean in the PBA, TY Tang, or the multi-talented Chris Tiu? In Xavier, you will always be and forever be remembered for your accomplishments on the court. Unlike any other schools, Xavier has a deep tradition of homegrown talents who have succeeded and that paves the way for a bright future with many of our current players looking up to their ahias.

              One thing to be proud of Xavier is that it has continuously produced talented players who have succeeded in the next level. It has never relied on recruitment or bending the rules for their athletes. Its athletes are no different from their regular students. They take the same exams in the same time. No exceptions.

               Other schools resort to recruitment to keep pace with the different top schools in the country. They continuously look for talented players in the provinces and bring them to Manila for a chance to play basketball and receive a better education. Xavier has always relied on what is has. They have never gone out of their way to recruit a player to make the team better. Consistent development, practice, and improvement are the key ingredients that make Xavier a competitive team year in and year out. They believe that the talent to win is here- in Xavier!

               Xavier does not provide any extra perks or scholarships to its athletes. Talented as they are or may seem, they still pay their tuition fees and go to school by 7:30 in the morning the following day even if practice ended at eight the night before. In a basketball team, there is a star player and a bunch of reserves. These benchwarmers or bangko, a Filipino word which literally means bench or stool, show up to practice day in a day out with the hope that one-day their time will come; their chance to shine. Oftentimes, it doesn’t come and instead of ranting about it or quitting, they continue to persevere and remain patient. They do it for the love of the game.

            As Xavier celebrates its 55^th year, it is only a reminder of how much basketball has been played. It has made friendships deeper than one could ever imagine. It also has produced talented players who still to this very day make the entire Xavier community proud. Basketball is a sport that has shaped and revolutionized the student life in school. Nothing still beats putting the ball on the floor and flinging the ball up high in the air and hearing the peaceful swish of the ball. The sounds, the ambiance, and the company are what makes basketball more fun in Xavier.