Wearing his number 7 jersey uniform printed with Kuya (big brother), playing coach Daniel Razon led his team of young hoopsters for a charity match against Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) Legends to support a scholarship program. The benefit game, dubbed Hoopsters Meet The Legends – Just One Day, jam-packed the 12,000-seater Cuneta Astrodome in Pasay City, Philippines on Sunday.

A sequel to the Philippines’ biggest marathon-for-a-cause held in January this year, the exhibition match is also aimed to fund the free private college education of at least 200 scholars of La Verdad Christian College (LVCC) in Pampanga and Caloocan. Both projects are part of Kuya Daniel’s Kahit Isang Araw Lang (Just One Day) advocacy, which is also behind the other public services of local television network UNTV.

“We thank the PBA Legends for their support and special participation in this project,” said Kuya Daniel when he handed in the plaques of appreciation to the 11 players.

In response, the basketball stars expressed their gratitude and eagerness to participate come another charitable project. “Thank you for making us a part of this charity work. We hope we can do this again,” said Coca Cola coach and Captain Marbel of the hardcourt, Kenneth Duremdes.

For playing coach Orly Bauzon who played for Toyota team at the onset of the PBA, the match was indeed a meaningful and historic advocacy.

Other players for the Legends team include the famous Fortune Cookie of Crispa Redmanizers Fortunato “Atoy” Co, William “Bogs” Adornado, Mr. Excitement Paul “Bong” Alvarez, Philip Cezar, Jerry Codiñera, Vince Hizon, Freddie Hubalde, Jun Limpot, and Vergel Meneses.

While The Legends is composed of ex-professional basketball players, Team Hoopsters, on the other hand, is a pool of aspiring young basketball athletes from around the country. The team was composed of Cyril Santiago, Jon Jon Apuya, Jeff Versoza, Julius Casaysayan, Anton Tolentino, Jeffrey Sanders, Mark Tyer, Michael Balang, Kheem Camba, Glen Labung, Jan Ewald Santiago, Rainier Cabrera and Jong Egea.

In excitement, the crowd welcomed both teams with a loud roar and a 7-round big wave from one side of the gallery to another, then capping to where it started. For The Legends, the roar and waves brought back their early days in the hardcourt.

With an 8-point advantage, the PBA Legends proved their unceasing prowess in playing basketball and ended the game in a score of 80-72. Duremdes was proclaimed Most Valuable Player of the game.

Meanwhile, the Philippine Wheelchair Basketball Team roused spectators in a breathtaking 10-minute exhibition game during the half-time break of the main event. The team is part of the Philippine Sports Association for the Differently Abled (Philspada), a group of skilled athletes with mobility and visual disabilities, amputees, and those with cerebral palsy. As a man with a heart for the special people, Kuya Daniel invited Philspada to the event for a recognition rite as the country’s representative in the upcoming ASEAN ParaGames, a multi-sport event for the differently-abled equivalent to Asian Games. Free uniforms were given to the players as tokens.

Also for support and additional fun, the group of the Katulong sa Pangangasiwa (Assistant to the Administration) and Tagapangasiwang Pampook of the Members Church of God International, known as KNP TP, faced one of the event sponsors, the Kabalikat sa Pamamahayag International (KAPI), during the first game.

Sports 37 of UNTV organized the said event.

Written by Ana Hazel Chavez-David