After all these years following hoops action, I can honestly say that I am no big college basketball fan. I always prefer the pro game no matter what. Even here in the Philippines, I would rather choose the PBA anytime of the day than waste my time watching the UAAP and the NCAA. That is because of my belief that the best basketball is being played in the play-for-pay loop.
Only until now and out of curiosity did I decided to give it a try and follow the “March Madness” and the rest I can say is history. I’ve been glued to the boob tube since the US NCAA tourney began and watch countless battles unfolds. There is nothing like the college spirit. The atmosphere is so pure and the way these kids played the game is truly remarkable. It seems that they are willing to die on the court just to advance to the next round.
I already knew beforehand that US College ball is a cut above the rest. I can still recall how the Tim Cone-mentored Centennial Team Pilipinas was made mincemeat by various American collegiate squads during a US tour in preparation for the 1998 Bangkok Asian Games. The Nationals lost all their games with an average margin of more than 30 points per game.
The local sports cable TV network, Basketball TV (BTV), has done a great job of bringing the March Madness to Philippine TV. Now everybody is excited and looking forward for the culmination of this 64-team spectacle starting off with the “Final Four” this Sunday morning (Manila time). The last four teams standing will square off in a penultimate day pairings in Indianapolis with Midwest winners Michigan State playing surprise West kingpins Butler and the ever-popular South champions Duke meeting the East pacesetters West Virginia. The winners will clash for all the marbles on Tuesday morning (Manila time) for the 2010 US NCAA Championship.
It is the time of the year when the NBA takes a backseat.
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