Internet, ‘pancit canton’ lead to Fil-Am’s discovery

By Beth Celis
Inquirer
Last updated 00:43am (Mla time) 10/11/2007

MANILA, Philippines -- Typical of this so-called cyber age, the discovery of Filipino-American national player Vicky Brick from the University of Maryland, a Division I US NCAA squad, came through the Internet.

And SBP executive director Patrick Gregorio was the one who tracked her down.

“I was searching the US NCAA website one day, in an effort to find a Fil-Am talent for our ladies national team, when I came across Vicky’s photo,” Pato recounted.

“I guess it was pure intuition, because Vicky’s name didn’t sound Filipino and neither did she look like one. But I got curious and read through her bio-data. When I got to the item that said her favorite dish was pancit canton, it was like hitting the jackpot. I knew she must have had some Filipino blood in her,” related Pato, who struck another coincidence when he found out what Vicky’s middle name is.

Gregorio.

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More than Pato, ladies national team coach Fritz Gaston is happy that Vicky was discovered.

“Her presence has raised the team’s level of play. She is definitely an invaluable addition,” Fritz said.

On Friday Vicky leaves with the ladies’ team for Phuket, Thailand where it will compete in the Seaba qualifier for the FIBA-Asia Women’s championship.

Personally, I’m glad that many people are now taking care of our ladies’ team. There’s Jean Henri Lhuillier of Cebuana Lhuillier, Cynthia Tiu of Discovery Suites, Marivic del Pilar of Victory Liner, and Alex Wang of PRC Couriers.

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Last Monday, Jean Henri hosted a sendoff dinner at the California Pizza Kitchen for the women’s team. It was on the same night amateur basketball’s godfather Mikee Romero also tendered a sendoff party at the Kamayan-Saisaki on Edsa for the men’s basketball team, which left for Korea Wednesday to play a series of tune-up games.

It was the first time the lineup of the men’s team was introduced to the PBL ballclubs. In addition to the regular Harbour Centre squad, Mikee said the national squad was going to play in the next PBL conference.

I was surprised to see former PBA player Alex Crisano in the national team lineup. Alex kept telling everybody -- except me I guess -- that he is now a reformed Christian.

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A day after the double sendoff, I was at the Reyes Gym in Mandaluyong on the invitation of Mikee to watch the practice game between the Philippine team and Harbour Centre.

Mikee said he feels the Nationals need another point guard. According to him, the positions would have been completed, had four of their players not been signed up by PBA teams after the tournament in Brunei last August.

The game ended at 101-77 in favor of the nationals, with players from the champion De La Salle Archers watching from the sidelines. Does this mean that the national lineup which left for Korea on Wednesday is still far from being final?

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Bet you the Ateneo Sports office in Katipunan was flooded with phone calls after that report in the papers about Eagles coach Norman Black being replaced by Chot Reyes.

Well, I was told that Ateneo has officially denied the report and as far as Ateneo patron Manny V. Pangilinan is concerned, his office was most surprised to hear about what turned out to be pure rumor.

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For Marietta Pumaren, mother of UE’s Dindo and La Salle’s Franz, the championship game in the UAAP was not a win-win situation for the Pumarens.

“Sure a Pumaren was certain to win the title, but one of the brothers will also have to lose. That was the prospect I can’t bear to witness, that’s why I decided to stay home last Sunday,” Marietta related.

While she was ecstatic for Franz who won the championship, Marietta said she was heartbroken for youngest son Dindo.