FASA basketball league provides home for Filipino hoopers

CARSON — When Laurence Elorde and Pocholo Gatmaitan first met in the third grade, they immediately bonded over their love of basketball.

Whether it was arguing over who was better— Magic or Bird— or hooping in flip flops in the tropical climate of the Philippines, they were basketball junkies from a very young age.

But as the two grew, their careers took off in different directions. Both went to look for jobs and they veered off different paths in their respective lives.

That was until 2008.

Elorde, who had already immigrated to the United States years prior, ran into a familiar face at an open run in the Eagle Rock neighborhood of Los Angeles.

As Elorde walked out of the gym, he noticed a man following him into the parking lot. A little hesitant, Elorde tried to rush out until he heard the man ask “Hey are you Laurence?”

After spitting out a nervous “yes,” the man smiled and said, “Don’t you remember me? I’m your best friend from third grade.”

The man was none other than Gatmaitan, who had noticed Elorde from the moves he showcased during the open run.

And just like that the two picked up where they left off. Their love of basketball eventually led to the creation of one of the most respected basketball leagues in Los Angeles.

The two created FASA Basketball in 2008 and launched their first round of games in March 2009. FASA is a men’s basketball league that targets Filipino and FIlipino American basketball players though anyone is able to join.

But their impact goes greater than the play on the court. The league provides a space for Filipino immigrants and Filipino Americans to bond over the game of basketball, similar to what Elorde and Gatmaitan did in the third grade.

“Majority of the teams that play for FASA are close to 90% Filipinos from the Philippines,” Elorde said. “They tell us ‘I’m new here to America. We’re looking for a basketball league, can you help us out?’ And that’s what we do. We want to build a place where Filipinos and Filipino Americans can come together and enjoy the game we all love.”

Basketball is by far the number one sport in the Philippines. The professional basketball league, PBA, attracts nearly 4 million viewers and is one of the fastest growing overseas basketball markets in Asia.

Filipino basketball leagues in the U.S. are not new. There have been leagues in the East Coast and Midwest for years and there are annual tournaments where these leagues compete to crown who has the best Filipino players in the country.

According to Elorde and Gatmaitan, they created one of the first Filipino basketball leagues in Los Angeles.

“When me and Laurence created the league, there really wasn’t anything like this,” Gatmaitan said. “We wanted to gather all the Filipino players and have a space to play.”

Many of the league’s players adopted the Filipino basketball culture from back home. Players speak in Tagalog to communicate plays and the fast-paced, fastbreak style of basketball that is popular in the Philippines is a staple of the league.

FASA is currently split into two divisions where there are 40 teams in the South Bay and Los Angeles districts. The teams play in a regular season through the winter that will culminate into a playoff in June.

For Israel Torren, a point guard for team Sindikato, the league is a place that brings familiarity.

“It’s good knowing other Filipinos who want to compete and hoop like I do,” Torren said.

Torren— who immigrated to Southern California at a young age— is a nursing assistant most days, but looks forward to the summer nights when he can come and play in front of his friends and family.

FASA has found success retaining many of its players through the league’s 15 years. A big part of that has been Elorde and Gatmaitan’s outreach to the families of players.

Many of the younger players who play for FASA play because a family member had invited them to join their team.

Jonathan Tubaces, a 19-year-old player, has been playing in the league since he was 16 years old. He grew up watching his dad and uncles play for FASA and decided he wanted to join once he was eligible to.

“Since it’s an adult league, I didn’t think I could really hang,” Tubaces said. “I just kind of got used to it as I got older and I think it made me a better player.”

Tubaces won the league’s MVP last season and was the youngest player ever to do so in the FASA league.

Rob Beers, a former FASA Finals MVP, shared similar sentiments and added that playing for FASA carries on a legacy that was laid down when his Uncles played in the league.

“My uncles played here and that’s how I heard about the league,” Beers said. “It’s cool to see generations of my family playing here and to see it grow has been really cool to see.”

The league has also been a training ground for Filipino players to get connected with coaches in the Philippines to possibly play college or pro ball in the Philippines.

Gatmaitan said he usually gets calls throughout the season from coaches in the Philippines in search of players who can play overseas. Former Eagle Rock High School basketball player Alex Cabagnot played for FASA during the summer months and was able to get connected to pro and college coaches through the league.

Though COVID-19 has cut the league almost completely in half, FASA is slowly regaining the numbers that were lost during the pandemic. Elorde said he has big plans for the league in the near future.

“I’m hoping to get some of our best players and have a tournament of Filipinos from San Francisco, Los Angeles, Las Vegas and play against each other,” Elorde said. “I think it would be a great experience for the league and our players.”