MANILA, Philippines – Height is might in basketball, but not in the FIBA Esports Open. 

Team Philippines will bank on its chemistry and savvy as it seeks to make a splash in the inaugural esports tiff that will pit against the best NBA 2K players from 17 countries. 

“We’ll really try our best to showcase Filipino gamers’ competence through this tournament,” Philippe “Izzo” Alcaraz Herrero IV, who will play center for Team PH, said during a virtual press conference. 

“There’s pressure because we’re not just playing for ourselves, we’re playing for the country,” Alcaraz Herrero IV added. 

Like real life basketball players, Team PH members put in hours of work every day to perfect dribble moves, shot timing, animations, and execution of plays. 

Their hard work paid off in the many years they have been playing NBA 2K, with members winning local and international competitions.

For example, Rial “Rial” Polog Jr, a two-time NBA 2K Asia Tournament champion, became the first Filipino to become draft-eligible for the NBA 2K League, where teams are affiliated with actual NBA clubs. 

Alcaraz Herrero IV is also an NBA 2K Asia Tournament champion, while Clark “Clark” Banzon and Custer “Aguila” Galas earned spots in the NBA 2K League Asia-Pacific Invitational alongside Polog Jr. 

Rocky “Rak” Braña, Aljon “Shintarou” Cruzin, and Al “Alt” Timajo are accomplished players in the local NBA 2K circuit too, boasting of a 99 overall in-game rating like the rest of the team. 

“We’ve been grinding for years. We have the same goal and same dream that some day we’ll represent our country, and today, that dream is now a reality,” Polog Jr, who will serve as the shooting guard, said. 

Bigger stage

Alcaraz Herrero IV revealed some of the members almost cried upon hearing the news that they will represent the country in the tournament organized by FIBA, the world governing body for basketball. 

Having the support of the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas was also a welcome development for the team. 

“This means a lot to us esports players because FIBA hosting this tournament will pave way for more esports players like us to represent the country,” Alcaraz Herrero IV said. 

“It’s a staircase to a greater audience. It’s on a global scale so that pressure on us players is heavy.” 

As several basketball leagues all over the world remain in shutdown, the FIBA Esports Open will bring the action back to the court, even if it will just be virtually. 

“With this tournament, we can showcase basketball again through esports. And for us esports athletes, it’s time for us to showcase our talents on the global stage through FIBA. We will be ready,” Banzon said. 

The Philippines will face Indonesia in a five-game series from June 19 to 21. – Rappler.com