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Fil-Ams at the New York Knicks' Filipino Heritage Night. 

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Knicks, Nets hold Filipino heritage nights for Fil-Am NBA hopefuls

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<div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:877px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/02032024 Fil-Ams at the New York Knicks.jpg" style="width:950px" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/><span class="fr-inner">Fil-Ams at the New York Knicks&#x27; Filipino Heritage Night. <em id="isPasted">Don Tagala, ABS-CBN News</em></span></span></span></div><p>NEW YORK CITY — Young Filipino-Americans who dream of playing in the NBA got to have a taste of what its like playing at the iconic basketball courts in New York City as they celebrated Filipino heritage nights in the Big Apple. </p><p>In celebration of the third Filipino heritage night at the Madison Square Garden in New York City, Filipina businesswoman and philanthropist Loida Nicolas Lewis kicked off the New York Knicks vs Toronto Raptors game with a ball presentation while the musical group Broadway Barkada sang the national anthem to a sold-out crowd at the iconic stadium.</p><p>&quot;Filipino American Heritage night is the largest Heritage night ever 3 consecutive years,” Brendan Flores, head of the National Federation of Filipino American Associations, said.</p><p>&quot;It&#x27;s just a great opportunity to bring our community together, have fun, make a difference and most importantly represent,” he also said. </p><p>&quot;Ito’y isang napakalaking pagkakataon for our diaspora in the US Northeast to show how big a love we have for basketball, and at the same time the many things our community has been doing to support young athletes who will someday be playing for the Philippine flag,” Philippine Consul General Senen Mangalile said.</p><p>Young Filipino cagers from the North American Basketball Association (NABA) not only got to see their favorite NBA stars in person and in action -- many of them even had the chance to shoot hoops on the very court where the New York Knicks slayed the Toronto Raptors earlier that day. </p><p>&quot;It means a lot because it’s my first NBA game, I participated in, I’m gonna have a lot of fun,” NABA player Caden Juscynski said.</p><p>&quot;Our dream is to become an NBA player,” NABA player Dominic Bermudo said, adding he plans to work hard and study hard to make that dream happen.</p><p>For Jordan Bartlett, former DLSU Green Archer guard in the UAAP, it’s the best time for Filipino representation in the NBA. </p><p>&quot;Coach (Erik) Spoelstra signed the biggest contract ever, that’s representation for us,” he said. </p><p>“We have pride that he did that for the Filipino people. We have players like Jalen Green, Jordan Clarkson. Ron Harper Jr. is a two-way player for the Raptor.&quot; </p><div><strong>BROOKLYN NETS HOLD FIL-AM HERITAGE NIGHT TOO</strong></div><p>Meanwhile, the Brooklyn Nets recently celebrated their Filipino-American heritage night as well at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn. </p><p>Aside from celebrating cultural through dance, young Fil-Am hoopsters from the Filipino American Basketball League of Long Island got to duke it out on the very court where their idols, the Brooklyn Nets, play. </p><p>&quot;Today’s like my first time being in an actual NBA arena and I get to play in the actual court and it&#x27;s really important to me and it&#x27;s going to be an experience I&#x27;ll never forget,” Benjamin Tanghal of FABLI said.</p><p>“Basketball is essential for us, if we don’t play basketball, then what is there to life?”</p><p>Isaac Libor added: &quot;I watch basketball every day, I think about it every day, I play, I go to practice mostly every day in the week.&quot; </p><p>Organizers are hoping this experience will inspire the next generation of Filipino-Americans making it in the NBA. </p><div><strong>RELATED VIDEO</strong></div><div><ivs-player data-ivs-key="e8c22c015ca9eafa76f1e3edfa03c603" data-ivs-spid="3001339" data-ivs-vid="2933426"></ivs-player> <script src="https://player.ivideosmart.com/ivsplayer/v4/dist/js/loader.js"></script></div>

<p>Organizers are hoping this experience will inspire the next generation of Filipino-Americans making it in the NBA. </p>

Organizers are hoping this experience will inspire the next generation of Filipino-Americans making it in the NBA.

Knicks, Nets hold Filipino heritage nights for Fil-Am NBA hopefuls

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Knicks, Nets hold Filipino heritage nights for Fil-Am NBA hopefuls

ABS-CBN News,

Don Tagala

Published February 03, 2024 03:09 PM PHT

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Updated February 03, 2024 03:17 PM PHT

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