As the Bosconian Basket League Above-50 gets ready to open, I find myself thinking less about who will win and more about why we’re still playing. At our age, basketball isn’t just speed, strength, and competition anymore. We still want to win — nothing wrong with that. But past 50, there’s something waiting for us beyond the final whistle that matters more: the chance to be together.
I say this as a Bosconian, but also as a former BBL commissioner. I’ve seen competition bring people together. I’ve also seen it make brothers distant — we get caught up in the score, the calls, the fouls, and forget that basketball was only ever one part of what held us together in the first place.
Those words — konti na lang tayo — mean more now than they used to. Some of the Bosconians we once played with, argued with, shared stories with, are no longer around. There are faces we won’t see in the gym again, voices we won’t hear from the sidelines. Every time we lose another Bosconian, we’re reminded that time isn’t waiting for the rest of us.
So here’s a humble suggestion for this Above-50 season: before the competition turns serious, let’s have a pre-opening fellowship. Gather the players, play something light and friendly, eat, introduce the teams, spend time together. No pressure, no hard competition — papawis lang. Start the season as brothers before we start it as opponents.
I raised something like this once before, as commissioner. It didn’t get much traction then. Maybe the timing wasn’t right. With an Above-50 league now in place, maybe we have a better reason to try it.
A simple “Snack-Stop” somewhere near the gym at Don Bosco Technical College–Mandaluyong wouldn’t cost much — merienda, coffee, a place where players from different teams can sit together. The cost could go into the team quota. Sponsors could be part of the fellowship too, not just names on jerseys.
More than that, let the bonding include family. Bring wives, children, grandchildren into selected league activities — a family afternoon with basketball, food, conversation, something for everyone. Taking care of our health at this age isn’t only for ourselves; it’s something we owe the families who want us around a while longer.
The BBL could look further ahead too. A 3×3 division for Bosconians 60 and above would give our senior members a way to stay in the game without the demands of a full-court run. Basketball doesn’t have to end at 50 — the format just has to change with us.
The idea doesn’t have to stop at Don Bosco either. Plenty of schools have long histories of alumni basketball rivalry. A postgame fellowship, where former players from different schools sit down and share a meal, could turn forty minutes of competition into friendships that outlast the tournament.
When we were younger, we assumed there’d always be another tournament, another reunion, another chance to catch up. Past 50, we know better. Every gathering counts for more, because some chances don’t come around twice.
Compete hard — that’s fine, that’s the point. But don’t forget why we’re really there: to build friendships, to look out for each other’s health, to bring our families closer to the Bosconian community, and to remember the ones who can no longer join us.
There will be missed shots, bad calls, disagreements — that’s sports. But when the game ends, shake hands, sit down, share a meal. Find an old friend you haven’t seen in years. Laugh about the game. Bring the family into it.
Because at this stage, bonding matters more than winning.
Maybe that’s the real point of the BBL Above-50 — not who’s the best team, but the reminder that we’re still brothers.
So before the first game tips off, let’s come together as Bosconians, not just as rivals. Celebrate health, celebrate friendship, remember the ones we’ve lost, and welcome the ones still with us. Then let’s play — and when it’s over, let’s stay.
Konti na lang tayo. Make it count — the games, the friendships, the family.
Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and are intended to encourage public discussion on governance and national issues. They do not represent any official position of the institutions the author may be affiliated with.
About the Author: Paul Y. Chua, PhD, is a Bosconian and former commissioner of the Bosconian Basket League. He holds doctoral degrees in Fiscal Management and Peace and Security, and a master’s degree in National Security Administration.