Inspiration for war-torn Syria

Michael Madanly isn’t playing professional basketball just for himself and his family. He’s also on the court providing hope for his countrymen who are faced with a bleak future in war-torn Syria.

Madanly, 35, is a national hero in Syria where he’s known throughout the country as a superstar. In 2007, he averaged 33.1 points for the Syrian national team to lead all scorers at the FIBA Asia Championships in Tokushima. He ranked No. 5 in rebounding (8.1), No. 5 in steals (1.6) and No. 10 in assists (2.3). Syria finished No. 11 of 16 squads. Madanly fired 43 against Kuwait, 40 against Indonesia and 37 against Chinese-Taipei during the tournament. He shot 33 points in Syria’s 107-100 overtime loss to the Philippines. Gilas was coached by Chot Reyes whose players included two of Madanly’s teammates now with TNT KaTropa in the PBA Governors Cup – Danny Seigle and Kelly Williams. A Gilas player whom Madanly faced was Jimmy Alapag who had 32 points and five dimes in the game against Syria. Alapag is now with Meralco. Madanly and Alapag are on opposite camps in the best-of-five semifinal series moving to Game 3 at the Smart Araneta Coliseum tomorrow.

After his splash in Tokushima, Madanly said he was offered a contract to play in Turkey but never considered to leave Syria. “I love my country,” he said. “I was happy playing in Syria. I had a seven-year contract with the Al Jalaa Aleppo club which is based in my hometown and saw no reason to play anywhere else. We were league champions for five years. Our national team was one of the best in West Asia.”

Madanly said as a boy, he dreamed of becoming a soccer star. “Soccer is our No. 1 sport but when I was nine years old, I joined a sports club Al Jalaa which had no soccer facilities, only basketball,” he said. “In Syria, we have no high school or college teams, only clubs that compete in different age groups like under-9, under-12 and under-14. When I turned 20, I was drafted to the military service and played for the Army club called Al Jaish in Damascus. Then, I signed a professional contract with Al Jalaa in 2004.”

Madanly would’ve preferred to play soccer. “I played basketball by default,” he said. “But I fell in love with the game right away. From the first time I held a basketball, that was it. I was a short kid growing up but between 16 and 18, I had a height spurt of about 20 centimeters (about eight inches) so in a few years, I was up to close to 6-3.”

When Aleppo fell under siege and became a battlefield, Madanly and his family left Syria in 2011. His parents now live in Amsterdam and his brother, who was once held hostage by terrorists and for whose release a ransom was paid, settled in Los Angeles. Madanly went to different countries where basketball took him. He played four seasons in China, two with Foshan and once each with Qingdao and Jilin. In 2014-15, Madanly averaged 21.2 points with the Jilin Northeast Tigers. He also played with Al Ittihad Jeddah in Saudi Arabia and Champville in Lebanon. His permanent home is now in Amsterdam.

Last season, Madanly saw action for NLEX as an Asian import in the Governors Cup, averaging 19.7 points, 6.5 rebounds and 3.1 assists. Now, he’s with TNT KaTropa. After this conference, Madanly said he’ll go back to Amsterdam with his wife and seven-month-old baby who are with him in Manila. Madanly has been married five years. “I play for a Dutch club to stay in shape,” he said. “At the moment, I’m focused on winning the championship with TNT. I’m not looking beyond the PBA. If I’m asked to come back to the PBA next season, I won’t hesitate to return. It’s a blessing to play in the PBA.”

Madanly said he enjoys playing with TNT. He singled out depth as the key factor that brought the KaTropa to the No. 1 position at the end of the eliminations. Madanly also cited coach Jong Uichico’s system which promotes chemistry. “Jayson (Castro) is our main man but what makes us difficult to beat is we’re at least 10 deep,” he said. “Everybody is ready to step up. It’s a long journey and we’ll need a lot of gas to make it to the championship. One player whom I admire is Troy (Rosario). The way he’s been playing, I’m surprised he’s just a rookie.”

Madanly said he’s been warmly welcomed by Syrian and Lebanese families living here. “It’s a great feeling to be recognized,” he said. “Even when we played in Biñan, there were Syrians who came to support our team. It’s difficult living away from your country. It’s a big sacrifice. I pray for our people to be safe and for the war to end. Someday, I hope to go back and live with my people again in peace.”