By Jay Scott Kanes

LAMMA ISLAND, Hong Kong – A usually quiet basketball court nestled among tall trees on northern Lamma Island has come alive with almost unprecedented Sunday activity. That's when dozens of players in the new Lamma Island Pinoy Basketball League swing into action.

After watching much of the initial action, I noticed no spectacular dunk-shots or alley-oop maneuvers. But there's plenty of fancy moves, hustle and entertainment value. Fans watching from the court's edges find frequent reasons to cheer.

Complete with team uniforms, referees (from elsewhere in Hong Kong), a scorers' table and enthusiastic fans, the games make an impressive and colorful spectacle. Usually only pickup games or exercise sessions happen on the basketball court in Lamma's largest village.

The four-team league, with all the players originally from the Philippines, launched its first Inter-Color Tournament on March 6. Action continues every Sunday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., all leading to a championship game in April.

“It's the first-ever basketball tournament organized by Filipino residents of Lamma Island,” said league spokesman Robert de Biro.

The four gung-ho hoops teams are Pak Yue (orange uniforms), D-Lau (yellow), Glamorous Tigers (green) and Alleywood Super Stars (red). Aged 14 to 50, the players are Filipino professionals, domestic helpers or students living on Lamma.

For added glamour, one team, the Alleywood Super Stars, has taken the unusual strategy of wearing the names of world-famous movie stars (W. Smith, K. Costner, J. Bond and others) on the backs of uniforms. Even so, probably the best-looking uniforms belong to the Glamorous Tigers.

This summer, the organizers hope to hold more events. Ideally they should expand to allow non-Filipino participants. By now, all the Lamma hoops enthusiasts from elsewhere in the world must be craving to join the fray.


Attacking, Pak Yue puts a pass in flight.




Everyone looks up as a shot nears its target.


Low-ball approach: Alleywood
probes Pak Yue's zone-like defence.


As a foul shot soars, players rush to rebound.


Uniformed players, referees and fans:
these games have everything they need.

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