Fort St. John Pinoy basketball teams gain valuable experience

FORT ST. JOHN, B.C. —  While squads representing Fort St. John at last weekend’s Grande Prairie Filipino Basketball League (GPFBL) didn’t do as well as hoped, they returned with a wealth of experience.

The teams played in three divisions – U-18, open division, and seniors over 35 in the league which took place on July 13th and 14th in the Alberta city.

“We had a blast and a great experience,” said Chit Corpuz-Gamueda of the Fort St. John Pinoy Sports League (FSJPSL), who helped select the teams to travel to Grande Prairie. 

“We didn’t make it to any finals, but we will join again next year.”

“We will put together more practices to get better and more competitive.”

Although the U-18 team went winless, the open-division representatives took two of four games and the seniors won a Saturday game, which were the bright spots of the weekend. 

Meanwhile, Dawson Creek’s U-13 entry into the GPFBL reached the finals, but the Grande Prairie Gilas took the tournament. 

A Facebook post from the FSJPSL  says the teams “greatly acknowledge” the GPFBL organizers for their unwavering kindness and support.

“Regardless of the outcome, win or lose, we thoroughly enjoyed ourselves with our family, friends, and supporters cheering us on.” reads the post’s conclusion. 

The GPFBL is an annual tournament organized by the city’s Filipino sports community.

It was described by a release last week promoting the tournament as an “opportunity to celebrate community and culture while developing the sport of basketball.”

Basketball is seen as a national pastime by residents of the Philippines, with professional and amateur leagues across the island nation of 115 million people.

For more information on the FSJPSL and updates, visit the league’s Facebook page.