Smart Ultimate All-Star Weekend

Truth be told, basketball isn't really one of my passions... but boy, do I love the game!  And why the hell not?  It is one of the most celebrated sports in the Philippines.

Basketball, more specifically, the Smart Ultimate All-Star Weekend, is what kept me up, about, and glued to the television screen last Saturday and Sunday night.

Say we put NBA stars Kobe Bryant, Derrick Rose, Kevin Durant, Chris Paul (CP3), Derek Fischer, Tyreke Evans, James Harden, Derrick Williams, Javale McGee in one team - and call it Smart All-Stars?  And then the PBA MVP's and Rookies led by James Yap, no less, in another team - and call it PBA All-Stars?  Plus, the Philippine National Basketball Team, Smart Gilas, in yet another?  It'd be a BLAST!

That is just what happened at the Araneta Coliseum this weekend.  It was a blast, a madhouse, and definitely a once in a lifetime experience.

Too bad I wasn't able to get tickets (they were freakin' sold out!). *sigh* :(  Thank God they had a live telecast of Saturday's game and a delayed telecast of Sunday's game.  

The Smart All-Stars won the game against the PBA All-Stars, 131-105 on Saturday.

And on Sunday, they also won versus the Smart Gilas, 98-89.

It was an amazing and intense two-day event, and the first ever, in the Philippines. You can feel the excitement and exhilaration of basketball fans from all over permeate through the TV screen.  It's contagious!  I, for one, was so happy and excited just watching the game on television. 

The NBA players were so cool!  Not only did they strut their stuff, with game faces on, on the court, they even threw out their autographed rubber shoes (OMG!) to the audience after the game on Sunday.  Those who caught them were really lucky dudes.  

It was an intense ALL-STAR weekend, indeed!

One that the Filipinos will never ever forget.

So Surreal.