Pustahan: Pinoy Hoops Betting

Cover image of Rafe Bartholomew's book, Pacific Rims
Image from http://gogirlcafe.jennyo.net

It is a given that most Filipinos play for fun, which is perhaps the essence of playing for the love of the game. But sometimes things turn a notch higher. Sometimes there's that nagging need for extra spice, extra flavor to plain hoops, and I've had that feeling many times before. Who hasn't? Enter the idea of pustahan, or literally "betting" in the western world. When Pinoy hoopers challenge you to a game of pustahan, you know that shit just got real, one where all fouls are hard fouls, where you can curse and complain all you want without getting a technical, where each player is also technically a referee out to call your slightest error, and where trash talk is the preferred way of communication on-court.

Tsinelas Kicks

In the Philippines, street ball is often exactly that --- basketball literally along the streets. Stick a hoop on the roadside and Filipinos will play ball all day long, rain or shine. Passing cars may temporarily stop the play, prompting players to step aside for a while, but it's no big deal. It's normal. It's part of the game, like an untimely timeout when everyone is already getting hyped.

Filipinos playing street ball, wearing the perfunctory tsinelas for kicks.
Image from http://lubbockpinoybasketball.webs.com

A regular fixture in these games are flip-flops, otherwise called overseas as step-ins, sandals, or go-aheads, among others.