Before Wuhan was introduced to the world - no thanks to COVID-19, the Hubei provincial capital has long been known to Filipino basketball circle.
If not for the health menace that savaged the global economy and sent the sports world to a complete stop, Wuhan would linger in mind as a sports mecca in Central China.
Two different national squads, their backers and officials of the Philippine Basketball Association and the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas had had their stops in Wuhan during the glorious run of Gilas Pilipinas leading to FIBA World Cup entry in 2014.
"Doon napag-kwentuhan casually ang Gilas Pilipinas II idea which became a success story," said PBA commissioner Willie Marcial, a Wuhan visitor (then special assistant to the PBA commissioner) along with the PBA contingent that came to cheer Gilas Pilipinas in the 2011 FIBA Asia Championship.
The Rajko Toroman-mentored team, featuring the core of the original Gilas team reinforced in the last minute by then Talk n Text stars Asi Taulava, Kelly Williams, Ranidel de Ocampo and Jimmy Alapag, narrowly missed a podium finish with losses to Jordan and Korea in the medal play.
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Nonetheless, it broke through with a fourth-place finish - the country's best showing since a similar third runner-up windup by Alvin Patrimonio, Jerry Codinera, Benjie Paras and their teammates in the 1987 edition of the meet under coach Joe Lipa.
"The governors then wondered aloud paano kung all pro players ang lalaro with Marcus Douthit. Malaki siguro ang tsansa," said Marcial, recalling the chat of PBA officials then led by commissioner Chito Salud and board chair Mert Mondragon.
Upon return to the Philippines, SBP president Manny V. Pangilinan worked to improve the program, and Gilas Pilipinas II was born with the support of the PBA.
It was a program never been done before - PBA players teaming up with a naturalized player. And it was a success.
From the fourth-place Wuhan run, Gilas made a great Taipei journey, winning the 2012 Jones Cup. Then came their 2013 FIBA Asia runner-up finish to Iran to bag a ticket to the 2014 world joust.
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Before the World Cup, Gilas actually revisited Wuhan and also created ripples via an 80-79 cliffhanger over the host team on three charities by Paul Lee with no time left. That handed the Nationals a third-place finish behind Iran and Chinese Taipei in the 2014 FIBA Asia Challenge.
But the 2011 Wuhan event would be remembered the more, with it being an Olympic qualifier.
It's quite a ride for a team featuring mostly players fresh from college who would later all make the PBA - Chris Tiu, Mark Barroca, Jvee Casio, Mac Baracael, Japeth Aguilar, Greg Slaughter, Marcio Lassiter and Chris Lutz.
The Nationals made a good Wuhan run, placing second to China in group play where they're also with UAE and Bahrain. In the next round, Gilas swept Jordan, 72-64; Japan, 83-76; and Syria, 75-52, before trouncing Chinese Taipei, 95-78, in the quarterfinals.
They missed a podium finish, though, on back-to-back losses to Jordan and Iran.
"Hindi nag-medal pero doon nagsimula yung arangkada ng Philippine team towards qualification to the 2014 World Cup," said Marcial.
Before COVID-19, Wuhan evoked good memories for the Filipinos. (SB)
