Classroom lesson 路 Sport馃嚨馃嚟 Philippines

Basketball-mad

The Philippines might be the most basketball-obsessed country in the world

A group of Filipino children playing basketball on an outdoor court with palm trees and an old stone tower in the background

Photo 路 Wikimedia Commons

What is it?

Basketball is the most popular sport in the Philippines. Almost every village, every school and almost every street has a basketball hoop somewhere. Kids play barefoot on rough concrete courts, in flip-flops on the beach, or in proper kit at school. The country might be the most basketball-mad place on Earth.

Tell me more

Basketball arrived in the Philippines from America over a hundred years ago, and the country loved it instantly. Today there are hoops everywhere: nailed to telephone poles, painted on walls, mounted on bamboo poles in playgrounds. If there is a flat space, there is almost certainly a hoop nearby.

Filipino players are famous for being quick, clever and very accurate from long distance. They often play against much taller teams - the average Filipino player is shorter than players from many other countries - and rely on speed, teamwork and brilliant passing to make up the difference.

The professional league is called the PBA (Philippine Basketball Association). It is one of the oldest professional basketball leagues in the world, after America's NBA. Filipino kids grow up watching PBA games on TV with their families and arguing about which team is the best.

But the real heart of Filipino basketball is the street game. Every afternoon, when school is over, neighbourhood kids gather at the local court for pickup games. Older kids team up with younger ones. Sisters play with brothers. Sometimes whole streets stop traffic for a sunset match. The hoop is at the centre of community life.

In the classroom

Walk your class through this in 15 minutes.

Talk together

Discussion prompts

  1. 01Why might a sport you play in the street feel different to a sport you watch on TV?
  2. 02Filipino players are often shorter than their opponents but win with speed and teamwork. What does that tell us about being good at a sport?
  3. 03What sport does your community love? Where is it played?
Try this

Classroom activity

Run a 'three-shot challenge' on the playground. Each pupil takes three shots at a hoop, ring or target. Track the team total. Then run a second round where players have to pass to a partner before shooting. Did the team total go up or down? Discuss why.

More about Philippines

Other things that make Philippines special

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