Molten: The Basketball That Feeds the Greedy FIBA Marketing
By Graham C. Lim, October 20, 2022
 
 
Molten, a popular basketball brand has an exclusive four-year term contract with the International Basketball Federation (FIBA) for season events from FIBA Asia, Europe, Oceania, America, and Africa and all the way to the World Championship (now known as FIBA WORLD Cup), and the Olympic Games.
 
A product of Japan, Molten is one quality ball that players like and pays a handsome sum to FIBA during the reign of the late Patrick Baumann and Boris Stankovic.  
 
Sometime in 2002 when the FIBA elected Hong Kong-China’s Dr. Carl Men Ky Ching as FIBA President for a term of four years. I was in Indianapolis, USA to represent the Basketball Association of the Philippines (BAP), which had been a FIBA member since 1936 before a rebel national basketball association headed by a filthy rich businessman got recognition from Baumann and company in exchange for millions of considerations.
 
I met the then-Molten President from Japan at the time. It was the start of an illicit partnership by Molten with corrupt leaders from the FIBA. Molten managed to dole out millions of dollars to FIBA so it could get recognition as the official basketball of FIBA for one season --- or the equivalent of a four-year cycle of events that include the World Championship and the Olympic Games.
 
With its new design, Molten was admired universally by the various hoops federation for use in FIBA-sanctioned competitions. The dual-color ball continues to enjoy the support of many until today.
 
Its popularity propped up the financial lust of the FIBA bigwigs at the time so much so they wanted to take control of its marketing game plan. The likes of Baumann and Bob Elpinston, the grand old that is Stankovic, and their control FIBA internal marketing firm saw it profitable if they could gain a substantial piece of the financial pie. Greediness throw power play was the game they played.
 
In 2005, the Basketball Association of the Philippines (BAP) was unilaterally suspended by Baumann himself without the approval of the FIBA Central Board. Baumann, at the time, was already in deep negotiations with the then-rebellious SBP group for a marketing partnership.
 
And when the FIBA was granted its demand, it kicked out the BAP and installed the SBP as the new national basketball sports federation from the Philippines. This devilish conspiracy was even more appalling considering that Baumann was a signatory to the 2007 Bangkok agreement that called for the country’s sports federation to be known as BAP-SBP with the BAP holding the majority of the voting members for a one-year transition period.
 
But trickery led the SBP to disenfranchise the BAP voting members and instead some names to its group following the expiration of the one year just to complete the 25-member to the BAP-SBP Board to acquire the majority. With the connivance of the then-Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) president Jose Cojuangco Jr. and the FIBA secretariat, the BAP members were overthrown with many manipulations.
 
 
Mercifully, Baumann passed away in 2018 to the relief of some of the disgruntled officials from the FIBA continents as his desire to control the FIBA for a lifetime was halted, to control was to create the so-called “One FIBA” strategy which is currently in used.
 
It was Molten that provided the FIBA with a huge chunk of the marketing money.
 
With Molten now under the control of FIBA marketing until today, the cost of its basketball brand has also grown. It’s not only because of the high cost of the quality refinement for Molten balls but also because it has to hand out chunks of money to subsidize the FIBA for what the anomalous marketing scheme dictates.
 
While Baumann and Stankovic are no longer to feast on the money, Bob Elphinston is still around to may hay while the sun shines. The marketing scheme does not have the total concern of the new FIBA Board but Elphinston still wields some power as an honorable FIBA Central Board member.
 
While lots of people in many countries suffer from famine or lack of food, even many members do not actually enjoy any benefits or substantial support from the FIBA marketing’s largesse. More so now that the FIBA has so much money with the entry of NBA players to FIBA-sanctioned international competitions.
 
Then again, all these press releases stating that the FIBA is shelling out money to the poorer FIBA members are pure baloney.
 
The FIBA has millions to disburse as a result of its devious marketing scheme as an insider said. In fact, the FIBA treasurer, who once was the kingpin of the discredited FIBA secretariat, continues to run all the way to the bank with his personal loot.
 
 
I am not against Molten, not at all. But its high price is unconventional (some money of which is to be turned over to the FIBA) and can be disappointing.
 
There are other brands of basketball of equal quality, if not of better quality, such as Mikasa, which is also from Japan; Wilson, Peak, Li-Ning,  and Spalding.
 
Some of the brands manufactured in China are also enjoying the support of people from Asia and Africa.
 
Come to think of it, if we want to dribble and shoot the ball in the neat nylon basket, all we need is to feel the touch of the ball that satisfies our pulse, and carries a standard lightweight. It need not be expensive.
 
Molten cost includes fees from the franchise, royalty, and commission to the FIBA for the extravagant marketing partnership.
 
A piece of advice to everyone: Look for balls that are good quality but are inexpensive, or at least more reasonable in price.
 
Molten, after all, is not the sole basketball brand in the universal market.

June 23, 2021
Benjamin da Jose Jr (Coach Jun da Jose) of Leyte 
By Graham C. Lim


Welcome to the club of the Basketball Association of the Philippines (BAP) inc., Benjamin da Jose Jr., aka Coach Jun Da Jose, the designated BAP Provincial Director of the Leyte Province of Region VIII.

Please coordinate with BAP Regional Representative, Mr. Leonardo Andres, and /or NCR Commissioner Nestor Macatuno and Finance Officer Antonio Quiza Sr., in proper cooperation with the BAP Central Office, to assist and promulgating more members to be part of the BAP Inc. structure based on the BAP By-Laws and honest governance.

Born on January 13, 1962, in Cabanatuan City Nueva Ecija, Coach Jun’s hometown is in Quezon City, Metro Manila, and presently lives in Ormoc City, Province of Leyte.

• Ormoc, officially the City of Ormoc, is a 1st class independent component city in the Eastern Visayas Region of the Philippines.

• Ormoc is an independent component city, not subject to regulation from the Provincial Government of Leyte.

Currently working as Executive Assistant to the City Mayor of Ormoc, as Sports Coordinator.
Coach Jun Da Jose is also designated to organize the National Basketball League (NBL)-Philippines 3x3 University Basketball Championship, a qualifying tournament to the Asian University 3x3 Championship and the Asia-Pacific University Games (APUG).

Coach Jun Da Jose’s basketball background as follows:

In 1979 - as a member and team captain of De Ocampo Memorial College, the school monicker is “Baby Cobras” in MUCAA from 1979-1982;

In 1983 - 1985 – as a varsity player of the University of Manila (UM);

In 1990 – started as a basketball coaching and his full-time experience as an Assistant Playing Coach of Octopus Army and won the championship title in the Philippine Integrated Chinese Athletic Association (PICAA);

In 1998 – Coach Jun was a member of the Chicago Basketball Team in the Inter-City Basketball League in Toronto, Canada;

In 2000 – as an Assistant Coach of the University of Manila which won the Championship title in the National Inter-Collegiate Basketball Championship organized by the BAP which was held in Ozamiz City, Province of Misamis Occidental in Region-10, Northwestern Mindanao;

In 2000 - 2002 – Coach Jun was the Head Coach of St. Clare College in the Caloocan City of Metro Manila which participated in the Colleges & Universities Athletic Association (CUSA);

In 2000 – 2001 – as an Assistant Coach of Dazz-Hapee Basketball Team in the Philippine Basketball League (PBL);

In 2001 – 2002 – as an Assistant Coach of Montaña basketball team in the PBL seasons;

In 2002 – designated as Head Coach of De Ocampo College, his alma mater and joined in the CUSA season 2002-2004;

In 2004 – as Head Coach of Ozamiz Cotta team which participated in the National Basketball Conference (NBC);

In 2005 – as Head Coach of Parañaque Jetz, and won the Championship title in the NBC season 2005;

In 2005 – as an Assistant Coach in the professional Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) All-Stars that saw action against the visiting Australian team from Sydney;

In 2006 – as Head Coach of Pangasinan 100-Islands in the NBC tournament;

In 2007 – as Head Coach of Philippines Hoop Dreamz in Sydney, Australia;

In 2008 – as Head Coach of Ilocos Sur Province in the Liga Pilipinas;

In 2010 – as Head Coach of PBA All-Stars played in Sydney, Australia;

In 2017 – as Head Coach of PDEA Drug buster in the UNTV Cup tournament;
Coach Jun Da Jose has attended many seminars such as the Five-Star Basketball Camp held in Montreal, Canada in 1998; The Nike Coaches Clinic in 2008 Chicago, Illinois in

2008; As a Camp Director Hoop Dreamz Basketball Camp in Sydney, Australia in 2007.

Brief History about Leyte Province:

Leyte, “Waray” as we called them, is a province in the Philippines located in the Eastern Visayas region, occupying the northern three-quarters of Leyte Island.
Its capital is the city of Tacloban, administered independently from the province. To the west across the Camotes Sea is the province of Cebu.

Two chronological events that people will never forget:

• Leyte is also known as the site of the largest naval battle in modern history, the Battle of Leyte Gulf, which took place during the Second World War.

• Leyte is especially prone to typhoons because it geographically faces the Pacific Ocean. On 8 November 2013, the province was severely affected by Super Typhoon Yolanda (Haiyan). The typhoon, known internationally as Haiyan, and domestically referred to as Yolanda, killed thousands of people and garnered significant international media attention. Leyte suffered similar destruction and loss of life in 1991 from Tropical Storm Thelma.    (gcl)

December 17, 2020​
Christmas is here, but at what cost is Pride and Dignity?
By: Graham C. Lim
 
Happiness is when one is free from any suffering and living in peace.
 
Loneliness is when friends turn their backs against you and leave you in the pits even when you are already down and out.
 
Pride has a crazy way to behave irrationally but dignity in a principled person does not hesitate in good or bad times. Faith is undiminished and righteousness is never compromised.
 
When I sing to one of my favorite Frank Sinatra’s songs, “Let Me Try Again,” I feel consoled in that, it affords me the hope to continue my journey in life while numbing the noisiness of the outside world. It gives me the strength to preserve my dignity without compromising my life principles no matter how uncertain is the world we now live in.
 
Sinatra echoes the following words in his immortal song:
 
I know I said that I was leaving,
But I just couldn’t say good-bye.
It was only self-deceiving
To walk away from someone who
Means everything in life to you.
You learn from every lonely day
I’ve learned and I’ve come back to stay.
Let me try again; Let me try again.
 
As Secretary-General of the Basketball Association of the Philippines (BAP) in exile, some greedy officials in the basketball community continue to harass me through their subalterns, seeking to stop me by all means from returning to my land of birth after eight years of forced exile brought about my participation in the local sports scene.
 
Dirty money is overflowing. It is being offered to people out to work for my return to the Philippines by corrupt and insidious sports officials out to derail my return at all costs.
 
And it appears the devil’s hands are in motion for justice remains elusive until now.
 
Pride is not an answer to suffering. Those people who have benefited financially from my suffering and hardship are much worse than the castrated animals.
 
Personal gain from somebody’s dire situation is so inhumane. It hits one in the guts when his dignity is being trampled in the name of the almighty peso.
 
That Justice is not for sale is the universal credo. But in reality, it is not. And in my case, it is not.
 
After eight long years, there are still some unconscionable people who continue to wish me ill and sell their souls in exchange for monetary gains. So inhumane they are in their insatiable thirst for money and power.
 
The BAP was its target and its Secretary-General was its victim. Power was usurped by its organizational rival in return for material considerations and in conspiracy with the old, gullible International Basketball Federation (FIBA) Secretariat that was decimated by the loss of two key members in the past two years, Patrick Baumann and Borislav Stankovic. Bob Elphinston remains from the Three Stooges but he may be on the way out as the new FIBA hierarchy now tries to regain its tarnished image, and hopefully turn away from the remaining leftovers of the old regime.
 
That the BAP was illegally ousted from the FIBA in favor of the SBP, unilaterally setting aside the provisions in the 2007 Bangkok Agreement, was the handiwork of Baumann and company, who were wined and dined in the country before settling the issue in favor of the SBP for millions of reasons.
 
I am a person who respects institutions that have legal rules to stand on. I am supported by many respectable personalities, from friends to members of the associations, schools and universities clubs, and league-organizations from all over the country who have not been tempted by the color of the money and have steadfastly remained loyal to the BAP in the purity of its objectives.
 
“The evil that men do they sell their soul to the devil; the good that men do they keep their dignity and principles intact.”
 
For those people that continue to wish ill of me, it won’t be long before the long arms of Universal Karma catch up with you. That I can guarantee in the name of Justice.
 
To my genuine friends and loyal associates, a Merry Christmas to all of you!
 
There’s no turning back but only “One More Try” in my life narrative and God willing, there will not only be peace and happiness for me and my family, but also Justice.
 
Before the altar of Justice, I guarantee you that my dignity and principles will remain intact until I breathe my last.

April 16, 2020
 
New basketball association set up by all-time Japanese greats and the FIBA Secretariat curse.
By: Graham C. Lim, member of the National Press Club since 1989.
 
A newly-formed Japanese pro basketball advisory association, the Japan Basketball Improvement Conference (JBIC), has been set up by legendary Japanese Olympians.
 
The association has been established to assist the Japan Basketball Association (JBA), the national basketball federation recognized by the International Basketball Federation (FIBA), in any way and help develop young athletes improve their skill set.
 
The JBIC came into the picture after FIBA suspended JBA in 2015 in a sinister attempt by then-FIBA secretary-general, the late Patrick Baumann, and FIBA treasurer Ingo Weiss to control the Japanese basketball through its marketing policies.
 
The two even went to the extent of putting their lackeys in a sensitive position such as the president, secretary-general and the chairman to run the JBA.
 
This was the same strategy employed by Baumann and his godfather Borislav Stankovic, both of whom will now have to account for their earthly sins before the Lord Almighty, in controlling other national basketball federations around the world such as the Philippines, Lebanon, Brazil, and the Russian Republic.
 
It wants dictatorial control of the marketing programs of the independent national basketball federations to suit their devious plans of cornering all the revenues related to the sport.
 
The FIBA secretariat, led by Baumann, wanted to control the Japan Basketball Association more than a year before the July 2020 Tokyo Olympics that eventually was postponed to July of next year amid the global coronavirus pandemic.
 
It wants to get the best marketing offer from top corporations in Japan for the Tokyo Olympics not for the betterment for the sport but rather also to suit their personal needs.
 
Hilariously, Baumann and his stooges designated a lady volleyball athlete to be the JBA president while appointing a football player to run the association as its secretary-general.
 
With the demise of Baumann, Ingo Weiss took over the FIBA marketing group to stay on course with their demonic strategy in partnership with a selected few in the FIBA family.
 
Top on the marketing list of the FIBA secretariat was to secure the sponsorship of Toyota. But with the postponement of the Tokyo Olympics, any corporate agreement with the International Olympic Committee and Organizers of the Games has been held in abeyance.
 
Those plans initiated by Baumann – once a member of the International Olympic Committee – to control Japanese basketball was successful but to make sure that the JBA is run with some form of check-and-balance mechanics, legendary Japanese basketball athletes and former Olympians came forth to form the JBIC in support of the JBA and chart the future of young athletes who engage in the sport.
 
Through the JBIC, the all-time greats in Japan basketball have offered pieces of advice to the JBA regarding its now-stalled plans for the Japan Olympics, which originally were slated from July 24-August 9 this year.
 
Among them was the highly spirited Mr. Yoshida Masahiko, the former Japan national men’s head coach during the 1976 Montreal Olympics.  He occupies one of the JBIC executive positions as Vice Secretary-General.
 
Regarding the JBIC, the Japan Times newspaper, in its February 15, 2016 issue,  reported that a month before there was an informal gathering of the former Japanese basketball players and coaches from the men’s national teams that participated in the Olympics during the 1960s and 1970s.
 
Before long, in late January 2016, it officially registered as an incorporated association (JBIC) with over 30 members.
 
One of the JBIC’s biggest concerns is the JBA and Japanese basketball’s future insofar as the competitiveness and development of the sport in their home country.
 
“When it comes to international relations, Japan used to have ties with the United States, which supported Japanese basketball’s foundation,” said Yoshida, who serves as the JBIC’s Vice Secretary-General. “Japan’s status and its measures (for competitiveness) have degraded.”
 
Here’s a brief info on Coach Yoshida Masahiko.

Yoshida was connected with Tokyo’s Gyosei high school, a well-known Catholic-based and French-featured education institution.  He was a very outstanding basketball player during his prime.    So it was natural for him to move up to the Rikkyo University in Tokyo, a mission school of Anglican Church, in 1959. He continued playing for the university that was one of the collegiate basketball powerhouses in Japan. He was a household name in the collegiate basketball world because of his remarkable star-level skills.
 
As a result, he was recruited by the Nippon Kokan, one of the top four commercial teams in Japan following his university graduation.
 
On the Nippon Kokan squad, Yoshida was a key figure and a starter.
 
In 1967, he played for Team Japan in the FIBA World Basketball Championship (now known as the FIBA World Cup) in Uruguay. He later became an assistant coach for Team Japan during the 1972 Olympics in Munich.  Coach Yoshida Masahiko then was elevated to the head coaching post during the 1976 Olympics in Montreal.
 
As I continue to write about the once tradition-steeped Japanese basketball that was manipulated by the FIBA secretariat, Mafia-style, I am always reminded of what the demonic three stooges – Baumann, Stankovic, and Robert Elphinston – also did to the Basketball Association of the Philippines (BAP), destroying and then illegally recognize another fledgling but a moneyed group for millions of reasons, one of which is for FIBA to secure a major sponsorship from them and laugh all the way to the bank.
 
The corrupt practices remain in place even with the death of Baumann and Stankovic, and unless there is another group to govern the FIBA, the extent of corruption in the organization will remain a mystery.
 
It’s time to rectify the malpractices if the FIBA is to repair its tarnished image and regain credibility.
 
For the last two decades, I have been hounded relentlessly by former government officials in my country of birth in conspiracy with one of the FIBA Secretariat’s corporate partners and current self-styled basketball leaders who don’t want me to get in their way to control the sport by hook or by crook that in the process, will expose their misdeeds before the general public.
 
Maybe the injustice that I have suffered through the years has somehow been answered by the Universal Karma that took the lives of Baumann and Stankovic.
 
May the same Universal Karma will open the eyes of the current FIBA leaders before it’s too late. Otherwise, the same curse that befell the old guards may come and haunt them if they don’t shape up and mend their corrupt ways. Cleansing the organization of the scalawags is the only option remaining.
 
The curse will likely also befall on the leadership of the current national basketball federation in the Philippines if it continues with its corrupt and dictatorial practices.
 
The injustice it had done to the tradition-steeped Basketball Association of the Philippines (BAP), discarding its FIBA recognition of more than eight decades in favor of a fledgling but money group without any proper legal procedures, and in total disregard of the 2007 Bangkok Agreement,
in sinister collusion with Baumann and the old FIBA secretariat and even up to this time with the new regime.
 
If justice cannot be served here on earth then expect the long hands of the Universal Karma law to catch up with these usurpers in the days ahead.
 
As for me, I am grateful to have met the JBIC Executive Board members in November 2019. Making up the JBIC Executive Board are all-time Asian basketball great Masatomo Taniguchi (Olympians in 1972 Munich) as the JBIC Chairman; Kunihiko Nakamura (Olympian in 1965 Tokyo Games) as the JBIC Secretary-General; Masao Tachibana (former JBA Board member); Takao Imai (former JBA Board and FIBA referee); Shinji Ichikawa (former national player); Kiyohide Kuwata and Kazuko Oono (both Olympians from the 1976 Montreal Games); Hayato Kusakai (former Japan league official); JBIC Vice-Chair’s Masami Kase (former JBA Board member) and Shigeru Harada (former Japan women national head coach).
Taniguchi, however, quit as JBIC Chairman last month (March 2020) due to serious health issues.  He was replaced by  Kiyohide Kuwata, a former Olympian during the 1976 Montreal Games, effective April (this month).
Moreover, Kunihiko Nakamura and Mr. Masahiko Yoshida also resigned due to health concerns and were replaced by Shinji Ichikawa, a former Japanese national athlete.
 
The JBIC Supreme Advisors include Toshiichiroc Abe (former JBA Board member), Kuninaka Taketomi (former JBA Executive Director), and Syouji Kamata (1960 Rome Olympics player).

29 April 2017                      
 
Attention:           BAP Regional Directors, Commissioners, League-Organizations and Clubs
Re:                         New set of officers for the term 2017- 2020
From:                    BAP National Secretariat
 
Dear Friends and Members:
 
Greetings from the Basketball Association of the Philippines (BAP)!
 
Please be informed that BAP will hold its National Congress on June 17, 2017 (Saturday) at 10:00 a.m. at the Auditorium of the Technological University of the Philippines (TUP) along Ayala Boulevard in Ermita, Manila.
 
All BAP Regional Directors, Commissioners, Head of different Commissions, and league-organizations and clubs members, are enjoined to attend the Congress, which has been long overdue. This correspondence serves as an invitation.
 
The Registration period will be from April 30, 2017 to June 10, 2017. Registration forms are now available at the BAP National Secretariat office (E-mail: [email protected]) or check BAP website at www.baplink.com for print of Registration Form and email to [email protected].

Attendees are to pay a Registration Fee of FIVE HUNDRED PESO (₱500.00). The amount is being charged to defray expenses to be incurred during the National Congress.

Transportation and dormitory expenses are also to be shouldered by the participants.
Certificates of Attendance will be issued to the participants.
 
For more information and inquiries, please feel free to contact the BAP National Secretariat through the following:
MR. ROBERT MILTON CALO
Mr. Leonardo B. Andres Sr.
-
-                          
Tel. # 0917 895 6612 c/o Mr. Leonardo B. Andres Sr.
Tel. # 0917 806 5554        PISCUAA c/o Robert Milton Calo
Tel. # 0915 334 5651           SCUAA c/o Allan Soria

Interested parties who wish to be considered as a candidate for membership to the BAP Board of Directors for the term 2017-2020 may e-mail their credentials to [email protected].

The positions up for grabs are:  President, Executive Vice-President, Vice-Presidents (three members), Secretary General, Deputy Secretary General, Treasurer, Auditor and Directors (five members).

Your unwavering support and commitment to the BAP will be validated by your attendance in the BAP National Congress.

Thank you very much.

Sincerely yours,

 
GRAHAM C. LIM
Secretary General,
Basketball Association of the Philippines (BAP) Inc.
 
                                                                                                Cc:          Members of the BAP Board of Trustees