MANILA: "Big Ben" cuts an imposing figure, dominating college basketball in the hoops-crazy Philippines as the best of a wave of African imports on unlikely Asian journeys in search of their NBA dreams.
Cameroon's Benoit Mbala scooped up MVP honors as he led one of Manila's top colleges to last year's University Athletic Association of the Philippines championship.
To the 22-year-old, who played only football until a tremendous growth spurt forced him from pitch to hardcourt as a teenager, the fervor of a nation that treats basketball almost as a religion has been overwhelming.
"I never expected myself going to a basketball game, (with the crowds) super full and packed with people almost spilling onto the court. That's really something crazy. The Filipinos are really fanatics," Mbala told AFP in an interview.
In an Asian nation where few people grow taller than 1.81 meters (6ft), the 2.01m (6ft 7in), 109kg (240lb) Cameroonian is a scoring and rebounding machine for Manila's De La Salle University team, where he averaged double digits for both statistical categories in his first year.
"He's a big (forward) who can run, he's fast, he's agile, physically strong and mentally he's sharp, and he has a good attitude," his coach, Aldin Ayo, told AFP.
"He's the best player right now in terms of how he dominated the league last season... he intimidates other players."
Mbala's exploits earned him a call-up this month to the Cameroon men's basketball team pool, alongside NBA stars Joel Embiid of the Philadelphia 76ers and Luc Mbah a Moute of the Los Angeles Clippers.
The youngest in a middle-class family, the burly Mbala took a strange route to basketball's oldest Asian outpost and home to one of the world's oldest professional leagues.
In 2011 he won African MVP honors at a South Africa camp organized by Basketball Without Borders, a global development programme for teenagers co-run by the NBA.
A few months short of 17 at the time, Mbala had hoped it would land him a US college basketball scholarship, but visa problems wrecked his dream.
"It's bizarre, going to the States you need something like a godfather, someone backing you up... unluckily I didn't have anyone so I just did everything on my own. Things didn't go my way," he said.
So he headed to the Philippines instead, starting initially at a little-known school in the central city of Cebu.
But at an invitational tournament, Mbala shot the lights out against La Salle, a wealthy, Catholic Church-run Manila school financially backed by several billionaire alumni, and he was quickly recruited.
The Philippines' university basketball scene resembles the American system in terms of popularity and importance, with games broadcast on national television and attracting crowds of more than 10,000.
Mbala was among the early African recruits to the Philippines. Now, nearly every university has filled their quota of one foreign student with an African.
"They (African imports) raised the standards of the game because of that talent. And the local players are learning to adapt to bigger opponents as well," Ayo said.
Despite his achievements, Mbala remains a work in progress. He struggled to execute a spin dribble, a must-have skill for Filipino players, during the La Salle practice witnessed by AFP.
With better ball-handling skills, his coach believes Mbala could be at the level of a top-calibre level collegiate player in the United States, which is one step away from the NBA.
"There are some aspects of his game that he has to improve. But physically, talent-wise, he can play," Ayo said.
"Had he started playing basketball at an early age all of his skills would have developed by now. But since he started with football that affected it somewhat."
Mbala, who idolizes NBA legend Michael Jordan and LeBron James of the Cleveland Cavaliers, makes no secret of his own dream of playing in the world's top pro league.
But Mbala is putting as much effort into his business management course as his basketball career.
He said he was aware basketball was a "gamble" and an NBA career was no certainty, citing woeful stories of promising young men whose careers were prematurely ruined by injury.
"Unluckily, they didn't get to finish college for backup... I want to have a degree just in case," he said.
Big Ben towers in basketball-mad Philippines
Big Ben towers in basketball-mad Philippines
Man United crashes out of FA Cup as club weighs up candidates for interim coach
MANCHESTER, England: Managerless Manchester United crashed out of the FA Cup with a 2-1 defeat to Brighton on Sunday.
At the end of a week that saw the storied Premier League team and 13-time FA Cup winner fire head coach Ruben Amorim, the loss at Old Trafford has likely consigned United to another trophyless season and was greeted with loud jeers from the home crowd.
Interim coach Darren Fletcher admitted the 20-time English champion was “not in a good moment,” but said it was too soon to write the season off with Champions League qualification still achievable.
“It’s probably not what fans want to hear about Manchester United because they’ve been winning cups and challenging for the Premier League,” he said. “Don’t waste the season. That would be the challenge that I would set. That’s the challenge that probably the players feel like they need to achieve this year.”
Former United striker Danny Welbeck scored what proved to be the decisive goal in the 64th minute, and Benjamin Sesko’s late header was only a consolation for the hosts in the third-round match.
United has exited both domestic knockout competitions at the earliest possible stage this season, following the humbling loss to fourth-tier Grimsby in the English League Cup. The latest defeat means United will play the bare minimum of 40 competitive games for a top division team this season.
Its only chance of silverware this term is the Premier League, which would require a remarkable turnaround with United currently seventh in the standings and 17 points behind leader Arsenal with 17 games left.
A trophyless campaign would be back-to-back seasons in which United has ended up empty-handed.
The club’s hierarchy hope an interim coach will be able to salvage the season by securing Champions League qualification. United has spoken to former players Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and Michael Carrick about taking on the role until the summer. Fletcher, who has taken charge of the two games since Amorim’s departure, is also a contender, as well as former United striker Ruud van Nistelrooy.
The loss to Brighton underlined the challenge facing the interim coach.
“Any time you come in at Manchester United, it’s a massive job,” Fletcher said. “It’s not about a manager, it’s not about directors. It’s about everyone and the players have to group together, take responsibility, find a way of improving quickly and taking on the challenge for the rest of the season.”
Brajan Gruda fired Brighton ahead in the 12th, with Welbeck doubling the advantage after the break. Sesko scored his third goal in two games in the 85th, but substitute Shea Lacey was sent off four minutes later and United could not force an equalizer to take the game to extra time.
“I gave it my best and ultimately I’m disappointed to not be able to win a game or to get a result today,” said Fletcher, who drew his other game in charge 2-2 with relegation-fighting Burnley.
Arsenal advances
Arsenal advanced earlier Sunday with Gabriel Martinelli scoring a hat trick in a 4-1 win at Portsmouth.
Martinelli’s treble helped the Premier League leader come back from going a goal down to the second-tier Championship team inside three minutes.
Colby Bishop stunned Arsenal with the opening goal at Fratton Park, but the lead only lasted five minutes after Andre Dozzell scored an own-goal.
Martinelli put the visitors ahead with a flicked header in the 25th. He slid in for his second six minutes after the break and headed in his hat-trick goal in the 72nd. It was the first time the Brazilian had scored a hat trick for Arsenal.
Victory could have been even more emphatic if Noni Madueke had converted from the penalty spot in the first half.
“It’s always tough to go into these places, especially in the manner that we started the game, conceding the early goal, but we managed to turn things around so I’m very happy,” said manager Mikel Arteta.
Record 14-time FA Cup winner Arsenal last lifted the trophy in Arteta’s first season in charge in 2020. It was the last major honor the London club won, but victory against Portsmouth maintains its four-pronged trophy pursuit along with the Premier League title, the Champions League and the English League Cup.
“I think we are very privileged to be where we are, and the games that we have to play, which means that we are in every competition,” Arteta said.
Leeds rallies
Top-flight Leeds was also behind to Championship opposition, but recovered from 1-0 down to beat Derby 3-1 at Pride Park.
Third-tier Mansfield pulled off an upset to beat Championship side Sheffield United 4-3 and Norwich routed Walsall 5-1, with Jovon Makama scoring a hat trick. Norwich head coach Philippe Clement later said that US international Josh Sargent refused to play in the game.
Relegation-fighting West Ham needed extra time to beat QPR 2-1. Valentin ‘Taty’ Castellanos’ goal saw Nuno Espirito Santo’s team end a 10-match winless run.
West Bromwich Albion beat Swansea 6-5 on penalties following a 2-2 draw after extra time. Hull won 4-3 against Blackburn on penalties after a 0-0 draw.
Norwich fan dies
Norwich said a home fan died at the conclusion of its win over Walsall at Carrow Road. A medical emergency occurred after the game and the Championship club announced the death of the fan later in the day.
“The club would like to sincerely thank medical staff, stewards and nearby supporters for their efforts to assist during the emergency and will ensure those involved receive the appropriate care,” a Norwich statement read.
“Everyone at Norwich City would like to send their heartfelt condolences to the supporter’s family and friends.”
