Pinoy Basketball Terminologies

Basketball has been one of the most favorite sports and even pastime in the Philippines. In almost every corner, there are makeshift basketball courts where one can see people playing either with their worn-out shoes, slippers or even barefoot.

As part of a common streetball, there are certain terminologies that players use to describe certain basketball plays or remarks which I'm going to share that I have observed during my years of streetball experience.

1. Agawang Buko - Scramble for rebound most especially on the floor.
2. Ankle Breaker - A very good Cross-Over move that breaks the ankle of the defender.
3. Ala Hoy na Tira (Hail Mary Shot) - a very impossible shot with little chance of getting to the basket.
4. Babad sa Laro - a player who has played several games without any substitution.
5. Bakaw - These are players who doesn't believe they have teammates, thus they take all the shots. In simple language, they are greedy players "hog ball".
6. Banban - Pertains to players who are dumb inside the court.
7. Bangko - Second string player who doesn't see the real action, a bench warmer.
8. Batang Milo (Milo Boy) - a player who has great ball handling and dribbling skills.
9. Biyabit - One kind of one-handed layup without the aid of the other hand.
10. Butata - A solid and good block.
11. Children of the Mist (Batang Hamog) - They are types of players, who lives and plays basketball all day as if their address is in the nearest basketball court.
12. Hindi Nag Star Margarine - a miscalculated shot that comes too short towards the ring.
13. Inararo - An offensive player who forcefully drives towards the basket, ala Lebron.
14. Inter Tsinelas - A group of players who are wearing slippers and in some cases barefooted.
15. Ice Tubig - This is the official drink among stretballers, sold at 3pesos. A water that is haft ice and haft water that perfect to give a soothing refreshment.
16. Kalawit Rebound - To rebound with one hand.
17. Magulang - a player who is an expert with all kinds of dirty tactics.
18. Miss - refers to a shot which decides who gets the possession of the ball.
19. Nagkape pa sa Ere - These are players with great leaping ability and hang time which creates poetry in motion.
20. Nana - pertains to those players who repeatedly asks for a foul even with the slightest contact or even with no contact at all.
21. Nangalabaw - To force yourself against a player or a group of defenders towards the basket.
22. Nangitlog - Three seconds violation.
23. Onse/Bente Uno - A kind of round-robin warm-up which involves a long-range shot (2points) and a close shot (1point), first to reach 11 or 21 points wins.
24. Pabanda - Using geometry, it is a shot which utilizes the backboard in order to create a high percentage shot. 
25. Panis - This is a victorious claim, stating that your opponent is no match for you. It can be compared to the word “In your face”
26. Pasang Jawo - A very strong pass even at close proximity.
27. Patay Ang Butiki - It refers to a shot that hits nothing but the board including the side of the backboard.
28. Patay ang Lamok - A defensive player slapping the ball carrier's hand so hard while trying to steal the ball. 
29. Pasikat - A player who loves to perform exhibition moves like: crossover, sidestepping move or even ridiculous layups even though there is no one guarding him.
30. Pektus - It is done by flicking the ball with the wrist usually during layups so that when the ball hits the board it spins towards the ring. 
31. Pinayungan - A kind of defense where a group of players raises their hands towards an offensive player who is underneath a basket.
32. Plakda - When a player falls hard to the ground usually during a block.
33. Pustahan - It pertains to a deal between two opposing teams what price they get after winning a set of game.
34. Rebanse - To bounce back after a defeat or chance for another game.
35. Sakuragi - A very good rebounder.
36. Solar Boys - These are players who can play at all weather conditions, even under the heat of scorching Sun. The more a court is exposed to the Sun, the more aggressive they are.
37. Sumabay ka Pa! - An over confident remark of an offensive player usually during a drive to basket where he thinks he can easily outmove any defender.
38. Tabyos - a miscalculated dunk which comes short wherein the ball is usually blocked by the ring or solidly hit the rim. 
39. Taga Baba ng Bola - Point guard

***Since I don't have any scheduled hiking events, I accepted my college friends' invite and so after almost 5 years I was able to play a nice and competitive game again.