MetroVanIndependent.com
August 2015
23
Sports
Fil-Am nurse dribbles ball even after a long stint in navy
"Follow your passion, be prepared to work hard and sacrifice, and,
above all, don't let anyone limit your dreams." - Donovan Bailey
By Alex P. Vidal
NEW YORK CITY -- As a high school varsity
player at the West Visayas State University
(WVSU) in Iloilo City, Philippines in the late
80's, Richard Borres Canong easily caught
the eye of the late Iloilo City Councilor Jose
"Joeball" Piamonte, who would become
his coach until Richard represented the
Western Visayas in the Private Schools
Athletic Association (PRISAA) basketball
in Nueva Ecija.
Richard's love affair with basketball
did not end in the PRISAA, an association
of private schools, Christian schools,
and home school athletic departments
throughout the Philippines founded in 1953.
Since joining the U.S. Navy in 1990,
Richard became a dyed-in-the-wool cager,
amassing one Most Valuable Player (MVP)
award after another, a mind-boggling
achievement for a cager who hasn't
breached the six feet height.
As a point guard and shooting guard,
Richard pulled the rug from under other
taller American players and fellow FilAmericans in intramural games that pitted
the best teams in the communities of
Chicago, Washington, Maryland, among
other states in the East Coast.
INTER-STATE
Playing for the Washington D.C., Richard's
team won the 2014 Inter-State basketball
tournament held in Chicago, a tension-filled
championship witnessed by his parents,
Illinois-based Ilonggos Rufino and Aurea
Canong.
They won the 2013 North American
Basketball Association in New Market,
Canada.
Richard was a regular player in De
Ausen, a real estate firm, in their community
league in Maryland, where he lives in Silver
Spring together with wife, Joy Adorador,
and two children, Randal, 21, and Rachel,
14.
He played together with some retired
PBA players like Abe King, Ric-Ric Marata,
Manny Victorino in exhibition match in 2009
and the visiting former San Beda Red Lions
stars Louie Brill, Art Ayson, and Letran's
Glen Yap.
Age hasn't slowed down Richard,
who continues reap honors in various
Richard Borris Canong holding a trophy.
community leagues playing in the 35 below
category.
FORMULA
His formula of success: "Stay fit. Be
passionate. Be a team player. Stay
grounded."
Richard exhorts basketball lovers "to
always stay in shape and be competitive"
regardless of age.
Richard, who started to hone his
basketball talent during his elementary
days at Angelicum School Iloilo, an
exclusive school in Jaro, Iloilo City, says
he is motivated to continue playing not for
money "and although we only win trophies,
we earn the respect of our peers and we
use the occasion also as an opportunity to
meet with friends."
In 2014, Richard, a Ѐ