SHANGHAI – Filipinos’ love for basketball was on full display at the opening ceremony and first round of games of the Filipino Basketball Association Shanghai (FILBAS) basketball tournament held on 02 June 2025 at the Hansen Sports Center, Jing’an District of Shanghai. There representing the Philippine Consulate General in Shanghai was Consul and Acting Head of Post John Francis S. Herrera and consular assistant Mark Anthony T. Villon, who is participating in the tournament playing center for the Green Team. A total of five teams are competing in this year’s tourney. The tournament officially opened with a ceremonial toss by Consul Herrera.

The two opening matches did not disappoint and were marked by great sportsmanship and team cohesion mixed in with plenty of hustles, passes, blocks, steals and fast breaks in a constant battle to dominate the other and offer the audience something to ooh and ahh about.

The Green Team, with Post’s Mark Anthony Villon, had a shaky start as the opposing Red Team towered above them with an impressive 24-point lead at the very first quarter, inducing a bit of panic and shock for the Green Team. The Red Team held the lead up until the tail end of the 3^rd quarter, when finally, the Green Team broke ground and gained a two-point advantage, managing to maintain the lead in points until the final buzzer of the fourth quarter, leaving the audience stunned with amazement at the come-back victory of 66 – 70.

The Philippine Consulate General in Shanghai supports the Filipino community in its sporting event initiatives and encourages Filipinos to keep healthy and fit through sports. END