A very busy day for the team with a lot of ground to cover before the first game was due to be played.
The morning saw us take off from Manila for the middle-island city of Iloilo. A giant bus known as a jeepney took all of our gear and the team on the two hour journey to our destination for the night game, Hantic.
Set high in the mountains, Hantic is a township of friendly people who had prepared well for our 7 o’clock tip-off. The crowd of 300 people were excitedly cheering as they greeted us on a balmy evening made for rural basketball.
After the formal proceedings were concluded and the Mayor wished us the best for the match, we proceeded to trade baskets with the local team. They had brought their best team and were determined to beat us – but we had Paul Beacham.
Shooting a dazzling array of three-pointers and leading the team by example, he kept the team in contention when the going got close in the fourth quarter. We finished by winning the game in the final few minutes 124-115 but we were amazed at how well the opposition played to take it up to us.
Other notable performances came from Hedley ‘Babyface’ Taylor, who ran the point with energy the entire game, and Greg ‘Tower of Power’ Beacham who towered above the Filipinos to win the battle of the boards and prove to the critics he is still the most solid man in the southern hemisphere.
Tomorrow we play a morning game and an afternoon game and our leader Pastor Gary Visitacion has organised some excellent teams for us to play. We are all feeling upbeat about the tour and the impact in will have on the lives of the Filipino people in the area.
Tomorrow : One day, two games!
Giles Creelman.
The morning saw us take off from Manila for the middle-island city of Iloilo. A giant bus known as a jeepney took all of our gear and the team on the two hour journey to our destination for the night game, Hantic.
Set high in the mountains, Hantic is a township of friendly people who had prepared well for our 7 o’clock tip-off. The crowd of 300 people were excitedly cheering as they greeted us on a balmy evening made for rural basketball.
After the formal proceedings were concluded and the Mayor wished us the best for the match, we proceeded to trade baskets with the local team. They had brought their best team and were determined to beat us – but we had Paul Beacham.
Shooting a dazzling array of three-pointers and leading the team by example, he kept the team in contention when the going got close in the fourth quarter. We finished by winning the game in the final few minutes 124-115 but we were amazed at how well the opposition played to take it up to us.
Other notable performances came from Hedley ‘Babyface’ Taylor, who ran the point with energy the entire game, and Greg ‘Tower of Power’ Beacham who towered above the Filipinos to win the battle of the boards and prove to the critics he is still the most solid man in the southern hemisphere.
Tomorrow we play a morning game and an afternoon game and our leader Pastor Gary Visitacion has organised some excellent teams for us to play. We are all feeling upbeat about the tour and the impact in will have on the lives of the Filipino people in the area.
Tomorrow : One day, two games!
Giles Creelman.
3 comments:
That’s a great start—nice crowd for your first game :) Good to see there was plenty of room for everyone in the jeepney—how did Danny and Sam manage to score the prime seats?! All the best for your games and testimonies today—love Jen
are you going to see gummy? You guys are missing the hulk.
It is great hearing what you are all up to, the writers are doing a great job! Keep up the great work you are in our thoughts and prayers! - Love Katie P
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