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Pinoy hoop veterans hoping for offers after Filbasket Malaysia stint

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Levi Joshua Jr. Verora

When Filbasket founder Jai Reyes announced the Filbasket International Championship in Kuala Lumpur, he said the tournament&#x27;s main intention was to expose Filipino players to the international style of play and to push other Southeast Asian countries to continue improving in basketball.For some of the championship&#x27;s top Filipino performers, the recently concluded tournament did not only serve as that avenue; it also became a platform to prove they&#x27;re still worthy of professional basketball offers as they approach the twilight of their careers.All admittedly in the homestretch of their lengthy hoops careers, Mac Baracael, 37; Maurice Shaw, 37; and James Martinez, 35, treated the 10-team, 5-nation tournament as an audition in hopes of landing enticing contracts to cap their respective resumés in the best way possible.&quot;In terms of the league, first-time pros like me getting the second chance, it’s a really good opportunity for players in different situations,&quot; Shaw said.The 2019 PBA 2nd overall pick never had the chance to show the league what he was really capable of after being let go by Blackwater early on in his rookie year.Then-Elite head coach Nash Racela spoke about Shaw&#x27;s poor conditioning during the 2020 PBA bubble in Pampanga, although Shaw shared candidly about the injury he was nursing back then. The former Harlem Globetrotter was also signed by Barangay Ginebra earlier in the year, but things never materialized.<ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/sports/10/14/20/pba-blackwater-rookie-maurice-shaw-not-in-very-good-condition-admits-coach">PBA: Blackwater rookie Maurice Shaw &#x27;not in very good condition,&#x27; admits coach</a></li></ul>&quot;I had a slipped disc. I never really told my side of the story there, but you can say it’s back spasms. It was tough. It wasn’t minor. It’s unfortunate how that played out. I never had the chance to come back and prove myself,&quot; the Biñan city, Laguna-based big man opened up. &quot;But it’s over with it now, I’m definitely glad to go out there (and play).&quot;Shaw averaged a near double-double of 9.5 points and 9.5 rebounds in four starts for the Makabayan Warriors. It was Martinez who referred the 6-foot-9 center to coach Erick Butler, having played with him in open gym runs alongside teammates RJ Deles and Denzel Wong.Now, Shaw is targeting a return to the big league for both a shot at redemption and a graceful exit.&quot;Ultimately, given my age, the support system I have, they would love to see me play in the PBA.They’ve seen the struggles I’ve been going through behind closed doors,&quot; he said. &quot;That’s my home league, and not to discredit other leagues in the Philippines also. I would love for that to happen.&quot;<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img alt="Maurice Shaw says he" s="" still="" dreaming="" of="" returning="" to="" the="" PBA.="" Filbasket="" media="" src="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2022/sports/11/01/20221101-shaw.jpg"/><figcaption>Maurice Shaw says he&#x27;s still dreaming of returning to the PBA. Filbasket Media Bureau</figcaption></figure></div><div>-- Martinez eyeing ABL stint --</div>For his part, Martinez hopes his performance in the Filbasket translates to a favorable &quot;last dance&quot; as he intends to strike the last remaining item in his pro career bucket list.&quot;I am hopeful to play in the ASEAN Basketball League,&quot; the former UE Red Warrior declared.&quot;I had an offer back in 2018 from an Indonesian team, but I declined back then. If the ABL pushes through, hopefully, I get a chance to play. I have played in many leagues across Southeast Asia.&quot;Martinez normed 17.3 points, 3.8 rebounds, 5 assists, and 2 steals, making 2.3 triples per contest in 4 games for the Warriors, which finished with a 2-2 record. He was eventually named to the All-Tournament 2nd Team, although they did not make it past the group stage.No stranger to Southeast Asian basketball, Martinez had several appearances for several clubs in Indonesia, Malaysia, and Thailand before the COVID-19 pandemic. When sports returned to normal last year, Martinez was also grateful to be &quot;in demand&quot; as local teams from Filbasket, the VisMin Super Cup, and Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League (MPBL) kept calling the combo guard.Not taking the last few years of his career for granted, Martinez sees himself playing for two to three more years, and is crossing his fingers that his solid numbers won&#x27;t go unnoticed in the ASEAN hoops scene.&quot;I’m in shape because of the MPBL and Thailand (TBSL). I’m used to the Asian level of play. You just really have to be in tip-top shape to compete with them because they play almost the entire year. That’s (ABL) the last league I want to play for,&quot; he said.<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img alt="Mac Baracael acknowledges playing experience played a role in his success playing at Filbasket. Filbasket Media Bureau" src="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2022/sports/11/01/20221101-baracael.jpg"/><figcaption>Mac Baracael acknowledges playing experience played a role in his success playing at Filbasket. Filbasket Media Bureau</figcaption></figure></div><div>--Baracael: Un-retiring to break boundaries--</div>Meanwhile, Baracael, the former Ginebra wing man, had to come out of a brief retirement to suit up for the Pilipinas Aguilas.A member of the original all-amateur Gilas Pilipinas selection under coach Rajko Toroman from 2008 to 2011, Baracael last saw action in a high-level competition during the VisMin Super Cup last year.He had been on the hardcourt since, but immediately felt a sense of pride and nationalism that led him to accepting the Aguilas&#x27; offer to join.&quot;When I was asked to play for them, I immediately said yes. Ever since, I always had a different feeling about playing with ‘Pilipinas’ on my chest,&quot; the 6-foot-4 forward said.&quot;My effort just goes beyond the limit when you carry that name with you. You push yourself because there’s a lot of pride at stake.&quot;Backing up his talk, Baracael did carry his team as its leader, averaging a league fifth-best 19 points, along with 3.8 rebounds, and 2.2 assists. The Aguilas were the only Filipino team to make it to the semifinals of the week-long cup, and the former FEU stalwart was named to the All-Tournament 1st Team.&quot;I am very happy with the way I played. It was like God’s timing. I played beyond my limits and expectations, given my age and my level of conditioning. I am very satisfied with my performance,&quot; Baracael added.&quot;Although, this tournament also made me realize that I need to work on myself. I wasn’t in my playing shape; I thought I had to rely on my experience a lot.&quot;The highlight of the tournament for Baracael was his 24-point outing in the battle for third place, as he helped the Aguilas oust Malaysian team MBC, 81-72 for bronze. Such caliber of play impressed not only himself; a few teams in the Malaysian Pro League, Baracael disclosed, are now interested in signing the grizzled journeyman as an import.Baracael said he will leave it up to the team&#x27;s owners to discuss what his next move would be. For now, he and his peers are just thankful to have made their mark in the ecosystem.&quot;After this tournament, I felt that I still have a lot left in the tank. For me, I’d be very happy to still be able to play for an extra year,&quot; he mentioned.

Mac Baracael, Maurice Shaw, and James Martinez, 35, treated the Filbasket tournament as an audition in hopes of landing one more enticing contract.