Communities> Florida > Tampa

Updated Oct. 1, 2005

TAMPA, (BASTA PINOY NEWS) -- Philippine Basketball League (PBL)-bound Robert Reyes and his entire Jacksonville crew unleashed a barrage of heavy artillery fire on Team Michigan in the championship game. When the smoke cleared, Jacksonville emerged as the victors in the Open Division championship crown of the 29th Philippine Invitational Basketball of North America (PIBNA).

Florida was transformed into an a war zone of big-time Philippine basketball when it was picked as this year's venue of the recently-held PIBNA hoopsfest.

Billed as the biggest and most exciting Filipino basketball tournament in the United States, the tournament drew dozens of big names in Philippine professional, amateur and college basketball in the 1980s and 1990s.

“The presence of former members from teams in professional Philipine Basketball, college and amateur standouts has been a key factor in the popularity of basketball among Filipino Americans,” explained Sonny Mora, president of the Filipino Basketball Association of Tampa Bay. “Its been also exciting and inspirational for young players to see them play -- to learn from them.”

Among the prominent basketball big names spotted in the tournament were: Edward Naron of San Miguel Beer; Yoyoy Villamin of the Crispa Redmanizers; Boy Valera of Barangay Ginebra; John Murly Cabarrubias of the University of San Jose Recoletos (USJR) Jaguars, Louie Brill of the 1990's RP Team-Northern Consolidated and Ben Ocariza of Seven-Up. Former National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Most Valuable Player (MVP) Art Ayson of San Juan de Letran University and Richard Bognot of RFM-Swifts also played in the tournament.


Sonny Mora, the man behind the Filipino Basketball Association (FBA), its president and Tournament Director of the 29th PIBNA. (Photo: Balt Quinain, Jr./Basta Pinoy News)

Jacksonville's Robert Reyes has recently been drafted by the PBL, the Philippines elite amateur ballclub. He will be playing for the Harbour Centre team.

Basketball legend Alberto "Abet" Guidaben of the famed Crispa Redmanizers was expected to see action but didn't make it because of another important commitment.
The two-day Labor Day event was held in Clearwater and was hosted by the local Philippine ballclub, the Filipino Basketball Association of Tampa Bay (FBL).

The games were held at North Greenwood Recreation Complex, Ross Norton Recreation Center, Joe DiMaggio Complex, Countryside Recreation, Clearwater Intermediate, Coachman Fundamental School, all in Clearwater, Florida.



The Jacksonville Team won the Open Division of the 29th PIBNA Basketball Tournament held in Tampa last Sep. 3, 2005.