- Title: PHILIPPINES: BASKETBALL - Filipinos delighted with NBA pre-season action
- Date: 10th October 2013
- Summary: MANILA, PHILIPPINES (OCTOBER 10, 2013) (REUTERS) EXTERIOR OF ARENA FANS WAITING FOR TICKETS TO NBA PRE-SEASON MATCH BETWEEN HOUSTON ROCKETS AND INDIANA PACERS CROWD ENTERING STADIUM GROUNDS STADIUM HOUSTON ROCKETS PLAYER JEREMY LIN DRIBBLING BEFORE GAME CROWD SEATED INDIANA PACERS AND HOUSTON ROCKETS IN POSITION BEFORE GAME MISS WORLD 2013, FILIPINO-AMERICAN MEGAN YOUNG, CLAPPING NBA COMMISSIONER DAVID STERN ANNOUNCING GAME OPENING PACERS IN FRONT OF HOME COURT ROCKETS REMOVING SHIRTS PACERS HUDDLING FANS RAISING BOSTON CELTICS JERSEY WITH NAME OF PACERS PRESIDENT LARRY BIRD, WHO WAS A CELTICS PLAYER CROWD WATCHING (SOUNDBITE) (Filipino) PACERS FAN DANNY CARMELINA SAYING: "Since childhood, my wish was to see them 'live' and when that opportunity came to the Philippines, I really saved up to watch them" (SOUNDBITE) (English) HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT LAIKA SAMSON SAYING: "It feels really surreal to be watching them here" HOUSTON ROCKETS HEAD COACH KEVIN MCHALE T POST-MATCH NEWS CONFERENCE (SOUNDBITE) (English) HOUSTON ROCKETS HEAD COACH KEVIN MCHALE SAYING: "It was a nice trip to Manila and now we're off to Taiwan. I thought it was a fun game, I thought it was a good atmosphere. The nice thing about coming to different places is that the fans are really excited and it had, had a nice vibe and had a nice amount of energy in the arena" JOURNALISTS SEATED NEWS CONFERENCE IN PROGRESS
- Embargoed: 25th October 2013 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: Philippines
- City:
- Country: Philippines
- Topics: Sports
- Reuters ID: LVAD7CB4KOUJELMOZZBKWXYDKC7Y
- Aspect Ratio:
- Story Text: The Houston Rockets slammed the Indiana Pacers 116-96 in the first NBA pre-season game, which was held in Manila on Thursday (October 10), drawing thousands of Filipino fans.
It was the first NBA pre-season match to be held in the Philippines.
Afterwards, Pacers fan Danny Carmelina said he had his wish granted when he heard the news of their arrival a few months back.
"Since childhood, my wish was to see them 'live' and when that opportunity came to the Philippines, I really saved up to watch them," he said.
High school student Laika Samson was still in awe when she saw the NBA teams along with her family.
"It's really surreal to be watching them here,," she said.
Basketball is the most popular sport in the Philippines, with many Filipinos playing the game on makeshift courts.
Rockets coach Kevin McHale told a post-match news conference he was pleased with the trip.
"It was a nice trip to Manila and now we're off to Taiwan. I thought it was a fun game, I thought it was a good atmosphere. The nice thing about coming to different places is that the fans are really excited and it had, had a nice vibe and had a nice amount of energy in the arena," said McHale.
The teams will next play in Taiwan on Sunday (October 13).
The match in the Philippines was part of the NBA's Global Games programme, which features eight pre-season games in eight cities across six countries this October. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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