Underdogs, in the context of hoops, are easy to root for. We cheer for the underdog not despite of the slim chance of winning, but because of it. The prayer, the wish, the will – all of it becomes an exercise in excess: the loudest of prayers, the wildest of wishes, the strongest of wills. What they lack in odds, they make up for in heart. An abundance of it, nothing less. Underdogs go in with all heart, always. That’s a basketball story we can easily attach ourselves to.
The women’s 3×3 team that represented the Philippines in the recently-concluded FIBA Asia Cup 3×3 tournament came in as underdogs. You see it in the context of the reigning back-to-back champs, Australia’s Gangurrus, a significantly taller and bigger team than a team whose tallest player is Camille Clarin. You feel it in the energy of practice, days away from flying off to Singapore. They looked hungry. Borderline angry. After last year’s sixth place finish, the Gilas Women, ranked No. 22 in the world, needed to do better against Asia’s best.
The hearts of the underdogs were beating loudest at the quarterfinal match versus Mongolia. After losing CC to a knee injury, it became an exercise in excess for Mikka Cacho, Kaye Pingol, and Jhaz Joson. More attacks to the basket, more 2s, more stops, more minutes.
The heart is what drove Cacho, the team captain, to put her head down and lead. Before the Mongolia game, she already knew that CC suffered a high-grade partial tear on the ACL of her right knee, even before CC did. But the job wasn’t done.
“Wala na akong time malungkot,” Cacho told SLAM Philippines a day after the tournament.
“Sabi ko sa teammates ko, ‘Kahit ano mangyari, bigay natin ‘yung best natin. Alay natin ‘yung game na ‘to para kay CC.”
Three against four.
“It is a tough task,” the game announcer said before the ball was in play.
Heart versus mind.
“They’re going to play with extra heart.”
Gilas versus everyone.
“They’re going to play with extra passion.”
Gilas versus themselves.
Against Mongolia, the extra heart showed in that extra boost of speed that Cacho needed to get away from her defender to give the Philippines their first two points. It’s that push that Kaye needed to continue attacking despite a bloody nose. It’s that added lift that Jhaz needed for her 2s to fall.
They defeated the No. 12-ranked Mongolia, 19-15, to advance to the semifinals – something that hasn’t been done ever by a 3×3 Gilas Women team in the Asia Cup.
But the heart, in the context of hoops, can only do so much. When the heart is heavy, the soul takes over.
At the heat of practice before the tournament, the team’s soul showed when defensive switches were missed. Cacho would tell Kaye when she got outmuscled for a rebound: “Okay lang ‘yan!” Jhaz would scream out when she got scored on: “Akin ‘yun!” They looked out for each other. They had words of encouragement to each other.
“Show up, play your game, and enjoy,” Cacho told Kaye.
“Believe in yourself,” Kaye told Jhaz.
“Make it rain,” Jhaz told CC.
“Everything they told you you couldn’t do, go out and do it in Singapore,” CC told Cacho.
Without CC on the floor with them, Cacho, Kaye, and Jhaz had no choice but to do more. They had to dig deeper than what the heart can provide. Heart gets you there; soul requires placing your fate in the hands of your teammates. Trust in the defensive switches. Have faith in the jumper. It will eventually fall. Believe in the hard work put in by their head coach, Anton Altamirano.
“Gusto namin patunayan sa kanya na tumaya ka sa’min, hindi mo kami binitiwan, so hindi ka din namin bibitawan,” said Cacho.
By the 5:45 mark, their hearts and souls were put to the test. Mongolia scored on an easy basket to give them a 10-3 lead. No timeouts, no subs. The Gilas Women just kept firing.
“‘Pag tinitignan ko sa sidelines si CC, ‘pag nakikita ko siya, nawawala na ‘yung pagod namin,” said Cacho.
Kaye kept attacking and always found a way to squeeze in a pass to Cacho inside. Jhaz kept firing at will until the 2s fell. Traces of CC’s DNA all over a 9-2 run that tied the game at 12-12. By then, their hearts have done the work. Their souls were now sending them into a groove. Like a montage of baskets you’d only see in an underdog hoops movie, Gilas scored one basket after another. Another Jhaz 2. Kaye doing her magic, running downhill to get to the line. Cacho getting the rim. They scored seven more points until the clock ran out.
What they preached to their teammates, they did for themselves. Cacho showed up. Kaye believed in herself. Jhaz made it rain. Everything they told them they couldn’t do, they went out and did it in Singapore. All for a fallen teammate in CC and a country of underdog fans rooting for them.
The team didn’t get to win a medal, but their finish in this year’s FIBA Asia Cup 3×3 was the best since the Philippines women’s team made its debut in 2018. That’s what teams with heart can do.
When the buzzer sounded, Cacho pointed to her trademark wristband that she wore every game, on the letters “CC” and the number “21.” She hugged Jhaz and Kaye, then made their way to CC at the sidelines, tears and sweat washing away the impossible.
“Nasa likod lang kami ni CC kahit anong mangyari. Kasama niya kami sa recovery niya. Sasamahan namin siya sa laban niya na ‘to,” said Cacho.
That’s what a team with soul does for each other.
_____________________________________________
[Tournament photos from Locker Room; Practice photo by Collin Tuano]
