Players wait for the rebound. (Photo by Sid Ventura)
Basketball is the Philippines' national pastime, a sport played in every street corner in the country with such passion and grit. Thus it's not surprising that in the ongoing Philippine Para National Games at the Marikina Sports Park, the wheelchair basketball tournament is one of the most competitive and hotly contested.
Never mind if dribbling a basketball and pushing a wheelchair at the same time requires unbelievable coordination. These guys aren't about to let their disability get in the way of playing a good game of basketball.
In the ongoing Para National Games basketball tournament, there are eight wheelchair teams vying for top honors, with the Tahanang Walang Hagdan team a slight favorite to win it all.
I caught the tail end of the elimination round game between TWH and the QC Stallions last Friday afternoon, which TWH eventually won, 67-52. Although I saw only a few minutes of action, I saw enough to make me conclude that wheelchair basketball poses its own unique challenges not just for the players — where the differences from able-bodied basketball are pretty pronounced, although not all are obvious - but for the officials as well.
"Malaki difference sa able-bodied," said one of the referees who officiated the match, a lad named Ian, who is whistling in his first wheelchair basketball tournament. For instance, he noted, calling a travelling violation needed getting used to in the beginning.
A wheelchair basketball player is allowed to push his wheelchair twice, after which he needs to pick up the ball and dribble.
"It's one-two push then dribble," said Ian's fellow ref Butch.
"Sa able-bodied, kapag foul, body contact talaga," Butch adds. "Dito, ang pinaka-body nila is iyong wheelchair."
Butch describes the whole experience as "challenging. May matutunan ka."
State of the sport
I then talked to TWH's guest coach, a fellow named Joseph Slaski, an American wheelchair basketball player and official who's doing what he can to help the sport grow as well as uplift the rights of the differently abled in the country.
"I'm here as a coach, but back in my country I'm more of a referee," Slaski told me. "This is my fifth time in the Philippines. Juanito from the Tahanan team asked me to coach. Before, I coached the Stallions of Quezon City. I love your country. It's an honor to be here and to be part of these Philippine National Games. I love the Philippines and I love the opportunity to be involved with this great event."
Since he seemed to have a pulse on the situation of wheelchair basketball in the country, I asked Joseph if enough was being done in the Philippines to encourage greater participation among disabled Filipinos not just in wheelchair basketball but sports in general.
"That's a great question," he said. "There is definitely some talent in the Philippines. There's some really good ballplayers. But unfortunately there's a problem with funding. There needs to be more funding for the disabled and disabled sports and the sport of wheelchair basketball. You know, all of these guys are tremendous athletes, but they don't have the equipment like I have back in my country. And that makes a big difference in disabled sports."
The right equipment
Slaski then showed me his "playing wheelchair", a sleek-looking contraption that didn't look too bulky and which he claims can turn a good player into a great one.
"This chair was made in the United States," he said. "It probably goes for the equivalent of P120,000. Of course, most disabled Filipinos can only dream of this."
Joseph said he got his for free thanks to a grant from an organization called the Challenge for Athletes Foundation, which aids American disabled athletes, but also helps out other foreigners.
"I'm going to help these guys apply for a grant," he said. "Another thing that I've thought about doing is to start my own foundation to help get these guys better equipment."
How much of a difference can the right equipment make?
"It makes a big difference," he said. "For example, the Tahanan team. Excellent team. But many of them are using outdated chairs. My first time coaching this Tahanan team was this last game. I'm impressed by their level of play, their athletic ability, and I'm thinking these guys can compete with many good teams back in my country. But equipment makes a big difference. I mean, these players are very good. If they had better chairs, they're ten times better. It helps with speed, the maneuverability, the turning ability, so many things."
Slaski added that although the Para Games are a big plus for disabled athletes, a lot of work still needs to be done.
"For a third-world developing country, it's doing well," he noted. "I mean, just look at this event. It's great. A lot of planning, time, energy and effort went into it, and now, disabled athletes are here from all over the country. But again, more funding needs to go into Philippine disabled sports, and also to improve the quality of life for individuals with disabilities.
A player from Tahanang Walang Hagdan takes an outside shot. (Photo by Sid Ventura)
Provincial development a must
The regular coach of TWH, Fernando Santos, said there is a pressing need to develop more teams and leagues in the provinces. He noted that most wheelchair basketball teams are based in the big city.
"Regularly, in Metro Manila, we have about eight teams," Santos said. "Outside Manila, we have teams in Davao, Misamis, Cebu and Cagayan de Oro. But that team (in Cagayan De Oro) is still very poor. Their wheelchairs are still steel tube."
Santos, who has been coaching wheelchair basketball for 25 years, said the wheelchair basketball association in the country is in dire need of funds, and they were even forced to skip the last ASEAN Games in Indonesia because they had no budget.
"PHILSPADA just organizes the games, but not regularly," he said. "Even training, that is our own initiative."
Santos agrees with Slaski about the Philippines' potential in the sport, and how with the right set of wheels they can make an impact internationally.
"Shooting, passing, dribbling, teamwork," he said, ticking off the areas Filipinos are good at. "We are excellent in that. But really, the main problem is support. You not only need to dribble, shoot, pass but you also need the ability to maneuver the wheelchair."
"I know that the Philippines almost had their men's team qualify for the Olympics," Slaski said. "Now what I'm thinking is the Philippines, with the right equipment and funding, could do well and qualify for the Paralympics."
Coaches Fernando Santos and Joseph Slaski. (Photo by Sid Ventura)
Getting rough
I didn't know how to ask my next question, so I just went out and asked it. Are there any fights in wheelchair basketball?
"Oh yeah," Slaski said with a laugh. "In the last game, two players got ejected."
"That's normal," Santos said. "In international competition, you can really see the physicality. Bam! Bam! Bam! Bam! Especially the Australians. Dirty players. Back in the day, there was the Far East and South Pacific Games. Bracket A was always Japan, Philippines, Korea and Australia."
Powerhouse teams not allowed
One big difference between wheelchair basketball and pro leagues like the PBA and NBA is that teams are not allowed to stockpile on talent and create Talk 'N Text or Miami Heat-type of dream teams, thanks to a classification system that assigns points to a player depending on his medical condition.
"It's very different (from able-bodied basketball) because there's what you call a medical classification, according to your disability, your balance, and your strength," Santos explained. "Everybody is allowed to play but there is a medical classification. Like me, I'm weak, so my classification is 1."
There's another catch: a team can only field in five players whose cumulative point total does not exceed 14 points.
"You're allowed to have 14 points on the court at one time," Slaski said. "Let's say Coach Santos is a 1, 1.5. I'm thinking I'm probably a 2.5. Then these players who are a single-leg amputee, maybe they're 4 points. So you can't load your team with these guys who are single-leg amputees. You can only have maybe two or three on the court at one time, and then you need to get players with lower-functioning ability to make it come out to less than 14."
So how does one get his ranking?
"It's very hard to explain. It comes down to medical judgment," Santos said, laughing.
It's good to know that at least at some level, there are basketball teams in the Philippines who care about balance and good competition. Some pro and college teams can learn a thing or two from these wheelchair warriors.
E-mail: sid_ventura@yahoo.com.
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