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PBA pays tribute to Samboy Lim; players react to passing of a legend

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Jeck Batallones, ABS-CBN News

<p>MANILA — Philippine basketball is still mourning the loss of hoops icon Avelino &quot;Samboy&quot; Lim Jr., popularly known as the &quot;Skywalker,&quot; who passed away on December 23, 2023, at 61 years old.</p><p>During the halftime of the San Miguel Beermen-Phoenix Super LPG Christmas Day battle at the Araneta Coliseum, the Philippine Basketball Association made sure to give time to offer a tribute to the &quot;Skywalker.&quot;</p><figure class="op-interactive"><iframe allow="autoplay; fullscreen" frameBorder="0" height="100%" id="ivsplayer01" scrolling="no" src="https://player.ivideosmart.com/ivsplayer/v4/dist/html/iframe-src.html?iframeid=ivsplayer01&amp;key=e8c22c015ca9eafa76f1e3edfa03c603&amp;spid=3001339&amp;vid=2911380" width="100%"></iframe></figure><div class="iwantbar">Watch more News on <a href="https://www.iwanttfc.com/#!/browse/Genres/News/tag_id_genres/id_news" target="_blank">iWantTFC</a></div><p>Samboy&#x27;s career highlights were also shown on the screen during the period.</p><figure class="op-interactive"><iframe allow="autoplay; fullscreen" frameBorder="0" height="100%" id="ivsplayer01" scrolling="no" src="https://player.ivideosmart.com/ivsplayer/v4/dist/html/iframe-src.html?iframeid=ivsplayer01&amp;key=e8c22c015ca9eafa76f1e3edfa03c603&amp;spid=3001339&amp;vid=2911383" width="100%"></iframe></figure><div class="iwantbar">Watch more News on <a href="https://www.iwanttfc.com/#!/browse/Genres/News/tag_id_genres/id_news" target="_blank">iWantTFC</a></div><p>Player Terrence Romeo, who wasn&#x27;t even born during Samboy&#x27;s heyday, shared that he learned about the Skywalker&#x27;s playing style through stories from his dad.</p><p>“Grabe daw yung hangtime. Tapos yung change of direction n&#x27;ya. Sabi ko sayang, sana nagkaroon ako ng chance na mapanuod,” Romeo said.</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/video/sports/12/24/23/skywalker-samboy-lim-pumanaw-na">&#x27;Skywalker&#x27; Samboy Lim, pumanaw na</a></li>	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/sports/12/24/23/samboy-lims-loss-mourned-by-pba-ncaa-letran">Samboy Lim’s loss mourned by PBA, NCAA, Letran</a></li></ul><p>Meanwhile, seven-time PBA MVP Junemar Fajardo said Samboy is a big loss not only for the PBA but especially for the San Miguel franchise where he used to play.</p><p>“Alam naman natin kung ano yung legacy na iniwan sa PBA. Nakakalungkot yung nangyari sa kanya,” Fajardo said.</p><p>Veteran sports analyst and commentator Andy Jao said Samboy&#x27;s distinctive style of play took a toll on him physically as evidenced by his injuries.</p><p>Jao said Samboy rightfully belongs to the roster of the PBA&#x27;s 25 greatest players, adding that his electrifying skills and boundless passion left an indelible mark on Philippine basketball, earning him the title of a true legend.</p><p>“The reason why you get injuries is because of the style of play, eh. That’s why he’s called the Skywalker. Whenever he makes a shot or whatever, he has a more or less devil-may-care attitude when he plays, because he wants to please the fans,” he said.</p><p>According to PBA Commissioner Willie Marcial, Samboy has been a good influence on the current crop of players, adding that Samboy&#x27;s legacy transcends the court, touching the hearts of fans and shaping the sport&#x27;s enduring spirit.</p><p>“Yung pursigidong manalo, yung papano mag-practice. Dirediretso yan eh. Kung ano practice nya, yun din sa laro nya, yun nga sinasabi, ko go hard,” Marcial said.</p><p>As a tribute, players and the crowd gave him a standing ovation during halftime, as the so-called &quot;final buzzer&quot; sounded off for the Skywalker.</p>

Philippine basketball is still mourning the loss of hoops icon Avelino 'Samboy' Lim Jr., popularly known as the 'Skywalker.'

PBA pays tribute to Samboy Lim; players react to passing of a legend

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PBA pays tribute to Samboy Lim; players react to passing of a legend

Jeck Batallones,

ABS-CBN News

Published December 25, 2023 09:05 PM PHT

|

Updated December 26, 2023 12:59 PM PHT

Read More:

Basketball

PBA

NCAA

Samboy Lim

The Skywalker

PBA Season 48

PBA Commissioner’s Cup

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