Boost for girls’ hoops
Good things come in threes or so they say. The Three Kings. The
PBA broadcasters Mico Halili, Dominic Uy and Richard del Rosario like to think there’s magic to their three-man army, too. Early this year, the entrepreneurial Three Musketeers conceptualized a project called Girls Got Game or 3G, which aims to promote female basketball and develop it as a way of life.
Del Rosario and Uy are former
Halili, 33, finished his Communications Arts studies at Ateneo in 1995 and is the general manager of Blue Monster Media, a multi-media management group. He is also a business partner in the Heaven ‘n’ Eggs restaurants at Eastwood and Glorietta 4. His wife is popular GMA network newscaster Pia Arcangel.
The threesome thought of the 3G concept, inspired by the Philippine team’s bronze medal finish in the last Southeast Asian Games. Halili assumed the role of director for media and marketing. Uy focused on player relations while del Rosario was in charge of logistics.
“Girls basketball is a largely untapped sector,” said Halili. “The marketing potentials are limitless. In our own small way, we’re hoping to provide a platform for high school players to showcase their skills and get them ready for college as players and students. Our goal is to prepare players for the WBL, WNCAA and UAAP which are the three most popular girls basketball leagues in the country. We’re also linked up with the SBP in the search for talent to beef up our national team.”
In another world of the past, 3Gs stood for guns, goons and gold. Now, in the context of girls basketball, 3Gs stand for Girls Got Game or God, guts and glory.
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The Three Musketeers’ first project was an out-of-town, by-invitation-only camp in Lipa last February for 17 top female high school players in Metro Manila. Then, they brought in eight schools –
The six-day, 17-game summer league was as exciting as it was entertaining. There were blowouts like Faith’s 93-23 demolition of Brent but there were also cliffhangers like Assumption Antipolo’s 53-50 squeaker over Diliman, Miriam’s 58-54 decision over Diliman, Assumption’s 60-57 thriller over San Beda and Diliman’s 42-37 win over Assumption.
A slew of stars emerged from the hostilities. Ara Abaca, for one, shone brightly for Diliman, scoring 39 points against Community of Learners, 30 against Miriam, 20 against Assumption and 25 against Assumption Antipolo. The Hardeman sisters Liz and Kelly were Faith’s top gunners along with teammate Sarah Parshall who hit 27 points against Brent. Liz netted 22 against Assumption Antipolo while Kelly 21 against Assumption and 29 against San Beda. The Hardeman sisters’ grandfather Tine, now Faith’s sports chaplain, played 15 years in the local commercial leagues before the PBA’s inception.
Other standouts were Irene Jardiniano and Angel Morales of San Beda, Vanessa Baguiwet, Misha Buensuceso and Klarizza Posadas of Brent, Jen Dimaano, Angeline Dy, Tip Topacio and Therese Buenconsejo of Miriam, Bea Daez, Corrine Javier and Cara Gonzalez of Assumption, Likhang Hinirang Javier and Inang Laya Javier of Community of Learners and Kea Cruz, Elrica Castro, Therese Aseron and Caitlin del Rosario of Assumption Antipolo.
Miriam won the title via a clean sweep. In the finals, Faith failed to field a complete team because of Sunday mission activities and lost by default. When he played in the commercial leagues, Tine Hardeman used to excuse himself from Sunday games because of Church commitments. Miriam beat Diliman, 58-54, Community of Learners, 70-59, Assumption Antipolo, 66-53, and Assumption, 49-43, to reach the finals.
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On May 17-18, the Three Musketeers’ third undertaking – the 3G Summer Camp – will be held in the Blue Eagle Gym at Loyola with 23 participants, 12 from high school and 11 UAAP rookies. The camp is presented by CROCS and supported by Cebuana Lhuillier, Le Soleil de Boracay Hotel, Nike, Nike Women, GNC Sports Lab, Action and Fitness Magazine, Bounce Magazine, BTV and NU 107.
Conducting the camp are coach Haydee Ong of the national team, Ateneo and
Halili said from the participants will be chosen 10 to 12 3G ambassadors who exemplify the five-S virtues of skill, smarts, strength, style and spirit. The Dream Team will do mall and campus tours to spread the word that girls hoops is cool. The ambassadors will also promote the three girls basketball leagues whose seasons run from July to February.
Some of the campers will be Ateneo’s Corrine Javier (daughter of TV comedian Dyords and niece of APO Hiking Society’s Danny), Ateneo’s Ish Tiu (cousin of Blue Eagle star Chris), Miriam’s Danica Jose (daughter of former PBA player Bobby) and 3G summer league hotshots, including Abaca, del Rosario, Gonzalez, Castro, Cruz, Topacio, Dimaano and Javier.
“We’re not in competition with the WNCAA, WBL or UAAP,” explained Halili. “In fact, we’re working hand-in-hand and hoping to be a feeder system for the leagues. We’re hoping to develop not just good basketball players but also good college students and future leaders of our country.”
Halili said 3G seeks to encourage parents to get their daughters into sports and inspire young girls to follow their athletic dreams, too.
“What is encouraging is the enthusiasm and support shown by coaches who share in 3G’s vision to promote girls hoops,” continued Halili. “Even the online community of 3G through our website (girlsgotgamecamp.multiply.com) is growing by the day. It started with just 10 members in February. In less than three months, it has grown into an online girls basketball community of close to 200 players, coaches and supporters. Hopefully, the community grows bigger after every 3G activity.”
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