Fil - Am Ballers : 2007 - 2008 Edition

by Tony Faustino for Gameface.ph 08/10/2007

The current crop of Fil-Am ballers is a mix of old and new faces. While there was a time when being a Fil-Am player almost automatically guaranteed one a spot if not in the PBA then at least in the PBL or top school leagues, that is not the case nowadays due to increasing competition for team spots from home-grown players.

Last year, for example, the LA Showtime, a young Fil-Am team that barnstormed across the Philippines won handily against most of the local school teams. While the reasons cited for their dominance was their bigger size, strength and skills, what was overlooked is that the average senior high school player in the Philippines is two years younger compared to those in the U.S. who are already around 18 years old because the American high school system is generally 2 years longer than the Philippine system. The extra two years is more than enough for a teenager to gain additional bulk, strength, height, and experience.

The continuing cap on the number of Fil-Ams allowed per PBA team means that only the best Fil-Ams can play leaving the rest to try again next year or just give up their hoop dreams.

However, if the plan pushes through to have one or more teams join the PBA, expect more slots to open up for Fil-Ams as well as home-grown players.

In the Fil-Am communities of California, players like 6'2" playground legend Sunny Margate, high school guards Michael Palarca and Jerry Santos to more established stars like 6'7" Joe Devance from UTEP are among the ones mentioned by basketball fanatics.

A new wrinkle in the Fil-Am basketball scene is the influx to American schools of powerful home-grown players exemplified by 6'9" Japeth Aguilar and 6'10" Gian Chiu. This may well signal the start of a wave of home-growns getting quality experience in U.S. schools, and will blur somewhat the distinction between Fil-ams and homegrowns as well as level the training advantage that Fil-Ams have had over the years.

It is hard to say who are the best Fil-Am ballers because they play in different leagues that have different competitive levels, and their playing backgrounds vary from teenage street ballers, and high school varsity players to college players from NCAA Division I and II teams, and finally recreational ballers in their late 20s to 40s who still got game.

The only way to find out whose got game among the Fil-Am players is to get them to play in the Philippines against the home-growns, although players from Division I teams are considered to be shoo-ins based on past experience with players like Danny Seigle, and Kelly Williams, and besides, the PBA has a rule wherein Fil-foreigners must have played at least 25 games in the Philippine amateur leagues before they can be considered for the PBA draft. That means, the PBL, being the country's premier amateur league, will continue to be the de facto proving ground for Fil-Ams and homegrowns who want to eventually make it to the PBA.

So who's who today among the Fil-Am ballers? The following is a list of Fil-Am ballers based mostly in California. This is by no means exhaustive because it does not include all the top players from other states as well as all the California counties:

1. James Francisco (6’3”, 200 lbs , Guard, Chaminade University, Hawaii, 24 years old) 5 ppg, 0.379 FG %, 0.778 FT% , big guard with shot – blocking skills

2. Robbie Reyes (6’6”, Forward, Flagler College, Florida, 24 years old) PBL experience: 9.3 ppg , 9.9 rpg

3. Joe Devance (6’7”, 220 lbs, Forward/Center, University of Texas, El Paso, 25 years old) PBL 2006 MVP: 15.5 ppg , 9.2 rpg

4. Nick Stephens (6’5”, Guard/Forward, Holy Names University Oakland, 23 years old) 17.2 ppg, 6.8 rpg, explosive scorer and rebounder

5. Karl Dehesa (6’2” , 185 lbs, Guard, Santa Ana College, Santa Ana, 21 years old) 2.8 ppg, 0.500 FG% , 0.71 FT%, 1.5 rpg , Perimeter shooter

6. Ryan Reyes (6’2” , 190 lbs, Guard, Cerritos College, Cerritos, 26 years old) 8.5 ppg , 3.3 rebs, 4.2 assists for Cerritos College , currently playing recreational/developmental league

7. Japeth Aguilar (6’9” , 215 lbs, Forward/Center, Western Kentucky University, 19 years old) First home-grown player drafted by an American division I college team , athletic with great shot – blocking skills

8. Ronnie Aguilar (7’0”, 250 lbs, Center, Colorado State University, 20 years old) Fil-Am ancestry being verified

9. Cristian Gopez (6’0” Guard, Cal State Maritime Academy, Vallejo, 25 years old) Currently a high School coach and also playing in recreational/developmental leagues

10. Kevin Dalafu (6’2” , 195 lbs, Guard, Vanguard University, Costa Mesa, 22 years old) 8.5 ppg, 3 apg, 2.5 rpg, Good 3 point guard

11. Mark Gupilan (6’1” 180 lbs, Guard, Pasadena City College, Pasadena, 19 years old) 3 point guard

12. Lance Convento (6’1” ,180 lbs, Guard, Cypress College, Cypress, 22 years old) Rebounder, free throw shooter

13. Julius Cumlat (5’10” Guard, Holy Names University, Oakland, 23 years old) 8.3 ppg , 7.5 assists per game, unselfish and quick point guard, can be counted on for assists and steals.

14. Michael Palarca (5’10” Guard, South Dakota State University, 19 years old) All-time leader in points, assists and steals at Chatsworth high school in Los Angeles, Palarca averaged 18.7 points, 7.3 assists and 5.1 steals per game, Incoming freshman at South Dakota State University

15. Jeff Dosado (5’9”, 165 lbs, Guard, American Career College, 22 years old) 3.6 ppg, 1 rpg , 0.389 FG %

16. Keone Reyes (6’0” 255 lbs, Forward, Kaimuki High School, Hawaii, 18 years old) 17 ppg, 1 rpg , Hawaii Basketball 2007 high school player of the year , powerful inside moves

17. Gian Chiu (6’10”, 225 lbs, Center, Desert Christian High School, Bermuda Dunes, 18 years old) First known home-grown center brought to an American high school, 15.2 ppg, 11.3 rpg, selected to local county high school all – star selection

18. Brandon de la Cruz (6’2”, 255 lbs, Forward, Mililani High School, Hawaii, 18 years old) Power player

19. Jerry Santos (6'0" Guard, West Covina high school , West Covina, 18 years old) 20 ppg, 2.5 rpg, 2.7 apg, good perimeter shooter

20. Clayton Laurel (6’3” 255 lbs, Forward, Leilehua High School, Hawaii, 18 years old) 14 ppg , power player

21. Jason Dalafu (6'2", 210 lbs, Center, La Mirada High School, La Mirada, 20 years old) 1.5 ppg, 1.8 rpg

22. Josh Cubillo (6'3", 200 lbs, Forward, Servite High School, Anaheim, 19 years old) 6.8 ppg, 3.2 rpg

23. Jay Arizabal (6'4", 210 lbs Forward, St. Anthony High School, Long Beach, 24 years old) currently playing recreational league , big bruiser, rebounder

24. Mike Custodio (6'2", 210 lbs, Forward, Notre Dame High School, Sherman Oaks, 18 years old) 1.5 ppg , 1.5 rpg

25. Kevin Herrera (6'3" , 185 lbs Forward, Notre Dame high School, Sherman Oaks, 17 years old) 0.6 ppg , 1.5 rpg

26. Anthony Torres (6’2” Guard, Bear Creek High School, Stockton, 17 years old) 10.4 ppg , 4.2 rpg, 1.3 apg, 1.6 spg, All – around player

27. Edwin Escueta (6’5”, 240 lbs, Forward, John Marshall High School, Los Angeles, years old)

28. Sunny Margate (6’2”) Recreational leagues
29. Kevin White (6’1”) Recreational leagues
30. Casey Caluag (6’1”) Recreational leagues
31. Robert Miller (6’1”) Recreational leagues
32. Ryan Boado (6’1”) Recreational leagues
33. Chris Resplandor (6’1”) Recreational leagues
34. Matt Tumambing (5’11”) Recreational leagues
35. Jeff Espiritu (6’4”) Recreational leagues
36. Jawayne White (6’0”) Recreational leagues
37. Scott Domingo (6’1”, 220 lbs, Forward) Recreational leagues
38. Ryan Francisco (6’2”) Recreational leagues
39. Ethan Leano (6’0”) Recreational leagues
40. KB brooks (6’5”) Recreational leagues, Fil-Am roots need to be verified
41. Thomas Byrd (6’7”) Recreational leagues, Fil-Am roots need to be verified
42. Jamaal Brooks (6’4”) Recreational leagues, Fil-Am roots need to be verified
43. Chad Brown (6’4”) Recreational leagues, Fil-Am roots need to be verified
44. Dave Clark (6’3”) Recreational leagues, Fil-Am roots need to be verified

*** Gameface will be glad to acknowledge any inaccuracies or comments regarding the Fil-am player list.