IN WHAT has been a fruitful year for Philippine sports, the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (SBP) and the Jiu Jitsu Federation of the Philippines (JFP) will be honored as National Sports Associations (NSAs) of the Year.
They will be recognized at the San Miguel Corporation-Philippine Sportswriters Association (SMC-PSA) Awards Night on January 29 at the Diamond Hotel, along with other awardees from various sports sectors.
The past year has seen many firsts in Philippine sports, and the two national federations stood out among the others in 2023.
Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (SBP)
The SBP’s successful hosting of the FIBA World Cup in Manila and Gilas Pilipinas’ win at the Hangzhou Asian Games in China provided the country with remarkable memories on the international stage.
Gilas Pilipinas reversed a 61-year drought by winning gold at the Asiad, highlighted by a hard-fought 77-76 comeback triumph over host and defending champion China in the semis, and an 80-70 victory over Jordan in the finals.
Meanwhile, the men’s team successfully reclaimed basketball gold in the Southeast Asian Games, defeating a Cambodian squad loaded with naturalized players, 80-69, in the final.
Gilas also received one of three Asian spots in the qualifying competition for the 2024 Paris Olympics. The SBP, led by its president AI S. Panlilio, previously received the honor on multiple occasions.
Jiu Jitsu Federation of the Philippines (JFP)
JFP, headed by Ferdinand Agustin, will get the prestigious award for the first time from the country’s oldest media organization led by Nelson Beltran.
This comes after JFP’s spectacular 2023 performance, capturing two Asiad gold medals thanks to outstanding grapplers Margarita “Meggie” Ochoa and Annie Ramirez.
The two gold medals were a watershed moment for jiu-jitsu in the continental competitions.
The grapplers matched the output of the women’s golf team of Yuka Saso, Bianca Pagdanganan and Lois Kaye Go at the 2018 Asiad in Jakarta, Indonesia.
