Team Philippines dominates ball games in 33rd SEA Games

BANGKOK — From the country’s most beloved to the less familiar ones, ball games served as a gold mine for Team Philippines in the 33^rd Southeast Asian (SEA) Games, scooping up seven of the delegation’s total 50 mints.

Gilas Pilipinas men, overcoming a series of lineup tweaks and training disruptions amid never-ending eligibility changes by the organizers and more on-site and in-game shenanigans, extended its reign in basketball at the expense of ambitious host Thailand.

And as coach Norman Black’s gritty charges produced the gold that Filipinos would hate losing, their female counterparts took their coronation in the distaff side, beating the Thais, as well. The Gilas women redeemed themselves after relinquishing the throne in 2023.

It was a sweet sweep of 5-on-5 hoops for Gilas, giving the hoops-crazy nation its 24^th and 25^th gold overall in the biennial meet.

The big-swinging softball teams brought out the broom in their backyard, too.

The Blu Girls stayed unbeatable in the SEAG, seizing their 11^th tiara in women’s softball 11^th appearance.

The Blu Boys returned to the top six years after losing the men’s crown to Singapore in Clark, doing so in a vengeful win over the Singaporeans in the finals. They ruled for the ninth time in 11 tournaments.

Pinoy batters similarly strengthened their status as the top dog in SEAG baseball, snaring their fourth straight title at Thailand’s expense for fifth overall out of six stagings.

With dramatic David-over-Goliath triumphs over reigning champs, the gritty women’s football team and women’s beach volleyball crew joined the gold rush for the first time ever.

The Filipinas toppled eight-time winner Vietnam to meet their date with destiny and the Alas Pilipinas sandbelles Sisi Rondina, Bernadeth Pons, Sunny Villapando and Dij Rodriguez duplicated the feat over the mighty Thais, ruler of the first eight competitions.

Bets in floorball, a fast, court game similar to ice hockey using a hollow plastic ball with holes, produced a silver in men’s play and a bronze in the women’s.

Alas Men made podium in indoor volleyball, as did the Philippine lady warriors in handball and netball.

Handball is a fast-paced indoor game where opposing teams try to score by throwing a ball into a football-style goal with posts and a crossbar.

Netball features two teams of seven players trying to outshoot each other in a goal ring. — Olmin Leyba