PBA LEGENDS BASKETBALL TOUR

MEDIA ALERT
20th April 2009

Elite sportsmen fade into retirement as their physical skills surrender to advancing age.  Few channel the knowledge of their sport into TV commentating jobs.  Fewer high-profile athletes end up contributing syndicated columns to the print media. Even fewer athletes opt for the public life of a politician. Robert Jaworski of the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) is one of them.

Also known as the 'The Living Legend', 'Big J' and 'JAWO', Jaworski of Filipino and Polish-American descent was the first-ever playing coach of the PBA.
Jaworski's basketball career spanned almost 30 years. He led the University of the East Red Warriors to the 1966 and 1967 UAAP varsity championships and was a key member of the Philippine champion team in the 1966 Asian Games. He played in the 1968 Summer Olympics in Mexico and the 1974 World Championships in Puerto Rico. 

Between 1966 and 1973, Jaworski played in the amateur league the Manila Industrial and commercial Athletic Association (MICAA).  When the professional league Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) was born in 1975, his fabled partnership with Francis Arnaiz in the backcourt earned Toyota nine championships.  With Toyota’s disbandment in 1983, Jaworski continued his career as playing coach of Ginebra.  Hi last competitive PBA game was in 1995 when he played alongside his eldest son Robert Jr, a unique record in any professional sport.

And in 1998, Jaworski emerged from a great basketball career and was elected to the Senate of the 'Batasang Pambansa', the Philippines Parliament, as an independent candidate.  As senator, he championed the environment by pushing for laws protecting the Philippines’ endangered forests in Bukidnon, Isabela, the Batanes islands and Mt Kanlaon.  He introduced legislation protecting national marine sanctuaries and filed a bill imposing heavy penalties on oil pollution of Philippine waters.

In June 2009, Marco Selorio, the Managing Director and CEO of Hoopdreamz Enterprises (who brought the PBA Dream Team in 2005), will bring Robert Jaworksi to Australia to lead a selection of PBA Legends including Benjie Paras and Ronnie Magsanoc. They will be joined by Vergel Meneses, Zandro “Jun’ Limpot, Nelson Asaytono and Jerry Codinera.

The visiting legends of Philippine basketball will play an exhibition game on 20 June 2009 at the Sydney Olympic Sports Centre in Olympic Boulevard Homebush against the Australia Great White Sharks.  A preliminary tussle between alumni of the University of the Philippines and Dela Salle University will usher in the main game.

BASKETBALL EVENT DETAILS
Date:  Saturday 20th June
Time:  5:30-9:30pm
Location: Sydney Olympic Park Sports Centre 
Olympic Boulevard, Sydney Olympic Park
Tickets:  $20.00 including GST (General Admission) 
 $30.00 including GST (Courtside)

FEATURES
• Seven basketball superstars from the Philippines
• Three former MVP players – Jaworski, Paras, Meneses
• HD-Australia Great White Sharks basketball club
• Twelve preliminary exhibition teams
• Alumni game between La Salle and University of the Philippines
• Halftime Spectacular

PHOTO AND INTERVIEW OPPORTUNITIES
• All PBA Legends basketball players
• Founder and director of HOOPDREAMZ, Marco Selorio
• Behind the scenes/Locker room access
• Access to Australian Great White Sharks
• Australian preliminary teams

If you would like to attend or require further information, please contact:
Alberto Selorio
HOOPDREAMZ
0404 619 568
info@hoopdreamz.com.au
www.hoopdreamz.com.au