The following article on ABU was featured in the souvenir program of the 12th UAP National Conference, held at the Tagaytay Convention Center last October 16 – 18, 2003.


ABU ATIN 'TO
by Arch't Oscar Molina

The idea to form a basketball club came on the heels of the stint of the UAP District B-1 basketball team in the UAP Nationwide Architecture Week (NAW) Inter-District Basketball Challenge back in December 2001. The members of the team had been accustomed to practicing every Saturday, so when the tournament was over, there was a clamor to continue playing regularly. With no upcoming tournament to join, Oca Molina, who was responsible for organizing the District B-1 team, suggested forming a basketball club instead.

With the assurance of the support of the team’s members, Oca initiated the move to create the architects’ basketball club. So, on the evening of January 5, 2002, Oca Molina, Manny Fernando, Butch Laurena, Roger Ong, Abe Firmeza, and Mike Tomeldan convened at the Isla Cebu Grille and Restaurant in Quezon City to discuss the formation of the club. At the meeting, the group agreed to adopt Abe’s unique concept of the club wherein individuals, not teams, would be recruited and assigned to teams so that all teams would be evenly matched and the tournaments would be more competitive and exciting, thereby ensuring the sustainability of the club. A week later, in a subsequent meeting at the same venue, the Architects’ Basketball Union (ABU) was formally created upon approval of the club’s by-laws by the founding members, and appointment of the following officers: Albert Yu as President, Manny Fernando as VP for Membership, Oca Molina as VP for Tournaments, Roger Ong as Treasurer, Abe Firmeza as Secretary/PRO, Butch Laurena and Mike Tomeldan as Directors.

Since all of the founding members were involved in the Organizing Committee of the 28th UAP National Convention, ABU could not get moving until after the said convention. Initially, pick-up games were held at the Far Eastern University (FEU) Gym, but the club struggled to have 10 members present to be able to play full-court scrimmage. Fortunately, there were always hangers-on at the gym willing to join the architects for a game of basketball. But, the founding members remained unfazed and continued on with the Saturday pick-up games. After all, they were long-time friends and the scrimmage every Saturday was just another excuse to get together. Their perseverance eventually paid off. By July 2002, the Fun Series ushered in the maiden season of ABU with 36 members. With the support of Boysen Paints, ABU organized three more tournaments: the First Regular Tournament in August, the 2nd Regular Tournament in October, and the First ABU Invitational in December. At the end of its maiden season, membership had grown to 60, exactly double the number of its charter members.

ABU’s 2003 season began with the Boysen Cup 2003 in March. The Player Lottery, wherein the members participate in a draw to determine which team they would play for, was introduced in the 2nd Regular Tournament in May. Word of the success of the Player Lottery as a system for team formation spread quickly. By the time, the Player Lottery for the 3rd Regular Tournament was held in July, ABU’s membership had increased to 106. The 3rd Regular Tournament, which began in August, is by far ABU’s most successful tournament. There are eight participating teams: Boysen Permacoat, Boysen Roofgard, Boysen Decore, HCG, Unitec, Wirsbo, Steel Asia, and Mega Valsir. As of this writing, Unitec, Boysen Decore, Mega Valsir, and Wirsbo advanced to the semi-final round. The championship game has been set for October 11. In November, ABU will be holding its first General Membership Assembly, which will include the Elections of Officers for 2004. In December, the 2nd ABU Invitational will round up the 2003 season and will feature an ABU selection and teams of various architectural firms, construction suppliers and UAP chapters.

Despite the problems encountered in the early part of the 2003 season, ABU was able to recover in time to organize a successful 2nd Regular Tournament. Interest in the club was revived so much so that a number of would-be members were asked to wait for the 2004 season because there were not enough teams in the 3rd Regular Tournament to accommodate them. In view of this, the current ABU officers expect the number of members to reach 140 by the start of next season and increase to 200 towards the end. Should this growth pace continue, there is a plan to divide the club into an eastern and western district to keep the tournaments manageable. ABU West shall continue to play games at the FEU Gym, while ABU East will search for a convenient venue in the eastern section of the metropolis. This will be one of the concerns to be taken up in the upcoming assembly.

The remarkable success of ABU may be attributed to the program of governance adopted by the current officers of the club. The key features of the program are the following:

1. Active organization – Since its inception, ABU has organized seven tournaments. The ABU games are held every Saturday evenings, and in between tournaments, ABU conducts pick-up games. In the course of a season, 45 of the 52 Saturdays in a year are filled with club activities. By keeping the members busy and in constant contact with one another, the club spirit is sustained and the desired bonding among members is achieved and maintained.

2. Tournament environment – Members get to play in a tournament environment. Players wear a complete uniform; there are referees and table officials; the venue has laminated wood flooring, snap-back rings, fiberglass backboards, shot-clock timer and an electronic scoreboard. All of which are the envy of every serious basketball enthusiast. Unless you play competitive basketball with a team, it is unlikely you will be able to play as frequently in such an environment. With ABU, a tournament environment is provided for most of the year.

3. Player Lottery – Prior to the start of every tournament, a player lottery is held to form the teams. Each member participates in a draw to determine which team he will play for. The adoption of the lottery system promotes the participatory approach in team formation and ensures acceptance of the final team line-ups by the members. In one season, there are three tournaments open to club members and sponsor representatives, so likewise, three player lotteries will take place. The Player Lottery has been likened to the NBA or PBA draft pick and has generated a lot of interest and excitement among members and sponsors.

4. ABU-FASIA connection - Most of the founding members of ABU were either responsible for the creation of the Federation of Architectural Schools in Athletics (FASIA) or are actively involved in it by coaching the basketball teams of the participating schools. FASIA has become the “minor league”, whose students aspire to make it to the “major league”, which is ABU. For ABU, FASIA provides a rich source of basketball talent that can be scouted for potential members in the future. For the architecture students in FASIA, ABU has become another reason for wanting to become architects. A number of ABU’s current members were former players in FASIA.

But, at the core of the club’s success is the fact that most of the founding members and charter members were all friends even before the club was formed. Basketball being the most popular sport in the country, it is not surprising that their paths had crossed by playing the sport. Each member then lured a separate circle of friends with whom he had played with in the past to join the club. And the cycle continues…… with each new member recruiting other basketball-loving friends. In short, ABU has become a large group of friends, or “barkada” in our local lingo. “Barkadas” like to lay claim to what is collectively theirs such as having a “tambayan”. In a similar manner, the members of ABU can claim that ABU is rightfully theirs. Each member is responsible for making what ABU is today. The club would not have endured its difficult start if not for the friendship among the charter members, and it is this same friendship among members that will carry the club into the future. ABU is indeed a club created by and for its members. Members love to refer to ABU as “our club”. This pride is aptly expressed when members raise clenched fists and chant repeatedly, “ABU! Atin ‘To!”.