18
THE MESSAGE. BRINGING INTO FOCUS FILIPINO PRESENCE IN AUSTRALIA
www.kalatas.com.au | Volume 6 Number 7 | APRIL 2016
SPORTS
Blacktown kid makes it
to PH U18 Batang Gilas
This 17-year old cager has not looked back since
he left Australia two years ago to play college
basketball in the Philippines. Now he is all set to
play for the national team.
By VIOLI CALVERT
JOSHUA Sinclair left Australia in late 2014
with Travis Mantua and Jeremy Nacua to join
the basketball team of Sacred Heart School
Ateneo de Cebu. His prominent achievements
for his school have been making headlines in
the basketball arena and have now earned him
a spot in the Philippine National Under-18
team.
Joshua will be playing for his country
of heritage in the Batang Gilas squad that
will be competing in the 2016 Southeast
Asian Basketball Association Under-18
Championship in Medan, Indonesia later this
month.
On making the cut for the Philippine
national team, Joshua commented: "It's an
absolute dream come true. Ever since I started
playing basketball at 13, I wanted to play for
the Filipino team. I'm just so happy to be given
the privilege to play for one of my countries. "
Aside from this huge achievement, Joshua
considers to be the other highlights of his
basketball career so far to include being named
as both the Most Valuable Player and Best
Defensive Player of the NBTC (A national
basketball tournament in the Philippines
featuring all the best schools in the country) as
well as winning the NBTC title with his team
in Cebu Sacred Heart School Ateneo De Cebu.
The 6-foot-3 Sacred Heart SchoolAteneo de Cebu’s prized forward, Joshua has
also recently committed to join the National
University Bulldogs in the UAAP. He made
this commitment to NU following the official
dialogue which involved his father Rob,
university and team officials led by Head
Coach Eric Altamirano.
"Three other schools I strongly considered
were La Salle University, Ateneo De Manila
University and University of the Philippines.
To be honest, I liked all four schools and so
did my parents. But NU just won my parents
and me over with what seemed like to us as
complete belief in my ability to play basketball
and to fit within their system. In the end
we believed that I'd have the best possible
opportunities and college life at National
University."
Apart from the coaches, Joshua considers
his parents to be the biggest influence on his
Joshua Sinclair (left) in action. Photo supplied
basketball career.
"Without my parents’ support and
motivation I would never be where I am today.
They believe in me more than anyone else
does, more than I believe in myself and it's
just amazing knowing they're right behind me
throughout it all.
“The four coaches I've been lucky to
have – coach Daniel Trikilis, Coach Rommel
Rasmo and all Ateneo De Cebu coaching staff
and more recently coach Eric Altimarano and
coach Joey Guanio."
So far, Joshua considers the biggest hurdle
he had to cope with was leaving Australia and
all his family and friends, and living away from
what was his home.
Asked what he wishes to achieve in
his basketball career and in life, Joshua did
not hesitate to say: "I want to be the best
basketball player my age in the Philippines and
eventually, the best player in the Philippines
period. As for my profession, I'm studying
journalism and would like to be a sports
journalist or announcer one day."
While Joshua's father Rob is AustralianScottish, Joshua's Filipino heritage comes
from his mother Pollen [nee Panes] who is an
Ilongga.
Sydney Knights of Rizal awards 18th Golf Cup champions
Standing L-R, Sir Jeffrey Mendoza KR, Sir Danilo Peralta KOR, Sir Arnul Pan
KOR. Sir Max Lopez KCR, Sir Bing Rana KCR, Sir Carlo Villadiego KOR, Sir
Philip Ranoso KCR, Sir Jhun Morales KR, Sir Jess Diaz KGOR, Sir Fiel Santos
KCR, Sir Francis delos Santos KCR, Sir Ralph Posadas KCR, Sir Ric de Vera
KGOR. Sitting L-R, Lady Michelle Mendoza, Lady Josie Peralta, Lady Cristina
Morales (not in photo Sir Ron Ranoso KOR)
A record number of
83 golfers took part
in the 18th Knights
Golf Tournament
held on Easter
Monday last month
at the Fox Hills Golf
Club at Prospect.
The tournament is
organised annually by the
Knights of Rizal Sydney
Chapter. Game format was
Individual Stableford with
the players divided into 3
divisions, A, B and C.
The Golf Committee
led by Chair Immediate Past
From left: ANZO Regional Commander Sir Bing Rana KCR, Sydney Chapter
Commander Sir Danilo Peralta KOR, Golf Chair Sir Philip Ranoso KCR, Overall
Champion Art Phiyasiritkul, Chapter Archivist Sir Francis Delos Santos KCR
and Ch apter Exchequer Sir Jhun Morales KR.
Regional Commander Sir
Philip Ranoso KCR, CoChair Chapter Commander Sir
Danilo Peralta KOR and CoChair Immediate Past Chapter
Commander Sir Ralph Posadas
KCR and ANZO Regional
Commander Sir Angel “Bing”
Rana presented the awards.
Assisting in the
presentation of the trophies,
cash prizes, novelty hole
prizes and raffle prizes were
Blacktown City Councillor
and Past Regional Commander
Sir Jess Diaz KGOR, Deputy
Regional Commander Sir Fiel
Santos KCR, Past Australia
Part of the audience at the presentation of the 18th Knights Golf Cup.
Area Commander Sir Max
Lopez KCR, Deputy Chapter
Commander Sir Arnul
Pan KOR, Exchequer Sir
Geronimo “Jhun” Morales KR,
Archivist Sir Francis delos
Santos KCR. Also present
and assisting in organizing
the tournament were Auditor
Sir Carlo Villadiego KOR,
Deputy Exchequer Sir Jeffrey
Mendoza KR, Sir Ron Ranoso
KOR, Sir Ric de Vera KGOR,
Lady Josie Peralta, Lady
Cristina Morales and Lady
Michelle Mendoza.
Free Raffle – Frozen Whole Chickens size 17 (24) and Wine Bottles (16)
The awards were presented to the following:
The weather
cooperated
with nice, cool
and cloudy day
which made
the tournament
enjoyable for the
golfers. The golfers
were treated to
morning fruits
(banana, orange
and apple) and
bottle of water
at registration.
Mid-course
snacks of chicken
sandwiches and
cold water were
also provided.
There were also
free raffles of whole
frozen chickens and
Major Prizes
Overall Champion Art Phiyasiritkul with 40 stableford points
Division A Winner Phillip Taualofai 37 points (c/b)
Division B Winner Bernard Bravo 37 points (c/b)
Division C Winner E Montero 39 points
Division A Runner-Up Neil Narvaes 37 points
Division B Runner-Up Rhoel del Rosario 37 points
Division C Runner-Up Ricky Mantaring 34 points
Special Trophies
Ladies Winner Narelle Hillyer 33 points
Ladies Runner-Up Rewadee Siritsatien 29 points
Novelty Holes
Nearest the Pin # 2 (Div B) Gus Gonzales
Nearest the Pin # 8 (All) Rewadee Siritsatien
Nearest the Pin # 10 (All) Bert Castro
Nearest the Pin # 12 (Div A) Art Phiyasiritkul
Drive & Pitch # 16 (All) Albert Hodge
Longest Drive # 1 (Div C)
Longest Drive # 9 (Div A) Phillip Taualofai
Longest Drive # 18 (Div B) Anthony Ramos
bottles of wine. The
overall champion
received trophy
plus cash prize of
$250, the division
winners trophies
plus cash prizes
of $150 each, the
division runner-ups
trophies plus cash
prizes of $100 each
and the novelty
hole winners cash
prizes of $25 each.
The lady winner
and runner-up
receive special
trophies.
At the start of the
presentation after the
sumptuous lunch catered
by Fox Hills GC, Chapter
Commander Sir Danny Peralta
KOR warmly welcomed
the golfers as well as for
supporting the only fund
raising event of the Chapter.
He also acknowledged the help
and support of the Knights
Golf committee and workers
for organizing the tournament.
Golf Chair Sir Philip
Ranoso KCR when presenting
the major prizes thanked the
different social golf clubs
who participated and among
them Sydney Metro lead by
Vangie Leones, Ramcor, Golf
Par E lead by President Alex
Cruz, POGI lead by Founding
President Chris Caraballo,
Divotees lead by President
Edwa Garcia, Fairgolf lead
by President Arnie Santos,
Sydney Jokers lead by
President Ralph Posadas and
the Thai Golf Association
delegation lead by Art
Phiyasiritkul.
Australia, New Zealand
and Oceania Regional
Commander Sir Bing Rana
KCR in his message praised
the record number of golfers
and thanked the sponsors who
supported the tournament.
He mentioned that this is the
first time the Knights Cup
was held on Easter Monday
and there was no other club
tournament held in conflict
which contributed to the
record numbers.
Deputy Chapter
Commander Sir Arnul Pan
KOR closed the event thanking
everyone and reiterated the
news announced earlier by Sir
Philip that the 19th Knights
Cup will be held again on
Easter Monday next year and
also at Fox Hills GC.