Last August 3, 2025, the National Historical Commission of the Philippines hosted and organized “histoEx: History to experience 2025,” which allowed the public to freely visit different types of historical booths located at the Quantum Skyview, Gateway Mall 2, and Araneta in Quezon City.
A Collection of Basketball Memories by Dr. Michael Rico B. Mesina
Among the many booths that detail many different historical stories of the Philippines, the Basketball exhibit of Dr. Michael Mesina is what caught my attention the most.
And as a basketball enthusiast myself, I wouldn’t want to miss the opportunity to acquire new information.
Dr. Michael Rico Mesino, or Doc Mico, is currently a physician, more specifically a radiologist. He is also a well-known basketball collector, gathering and preserving basketball memorabilia.
With his undying passion for collecting valuable pieces for a beloved sport here in the Philippines, the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas has appointed him as the Representative for the Historical Projects.
Doc Mico had a 30-minute talk with regards to the history of Philippine Basketball from 1900 to 1970s. His discussion was entitled “From Genesis to Golden Age”.
I’ve learned a lot during his talk as I had no idea about certain information like:
- Primitivo Martinez, a former player for the UST Growling Tigers and Philippine national player, was named to be one of the Mythical Five during the 1936 Berlin Olympics by the Sports Journalists and not by Basketball Officials.
- Back then, only Team Captains were allowed to wear the #3 on their jerseys
- Ambrosio Padilla was the Philippines’ Team Captain in 1936
- Ended the tournament in 5th place despite only losing 1 game and holds the record for the highest finish for any Asian country in Olympic history
- The most successful year for PH Basketball was in 1954 because they won the Asian Games title and competed in the World Basketball Championship (now known as FIBA World Cup) in Brazil, finishing 3rd place, the highest finish for any Asian country in FIBA history.
- The 1972 Olympics at Munich, Germany, were the last participation of the Philippine National Team in the Olympic Basketball
- In 1973, the Philippines won the title in the Asian Basketball Confederation (now known as the FIBA Asia Cup) with all of the players in the lineup being pure Filipinos.
- Jimmy Mariono was the Team Captain in the 1973 tournaments
And after his presentation, I was able to ask him for an exclusive interview.
The Unknown Beauty of 1900 – 1970s
“When SBP was invited to be part of histoEx, ako po yung kinausap (ng SBP) to be their representative in this event. So I was thinking, ‘history’ eh, when I asked young people kung sino yung mga players na kilala nila ang pinaka matanda lang sina (Alvin) Patrimonio, sina Benjie Paras. So when you go beyond that, wala na silang alam.” Doc Mico’s response when I asked how he came up with the idea for the timeline and how he became part of this event.
“So that sparked an idea in me, what if, in this convention, I focus more on the earlier parts of Philippine Basketball. So that the younger generation of basketball fans can appreciate and understand how deep and colorful the history of basketball is,” he added.
Vital Factor for Collecting Items: Social Media
“So I think the equalizing thing is social media. Kase, through social media, you can connect with fellow collectors and sellers who are experts in the Philippine basketball field. So initially, through social media, doon ko nakuha ang contacts ko to buy those basketball memorabilia, and then nung nakilala na ako as a collector and basketball enthusiast, dun na nag simula lumipit yung mga tao.” Doc Mico’s answer when I asked about his experience collecting items for this exhibit.
“Dati ako yung nag re-reach out pero ngayon yung mga tao na ang mga lumalapit to show their items. They would then ask me if pwedeng masama items nila to my collections and if I see historical significance, kinukuha ko na rin.” he added.
Overall Experience of a Collector/Lecturer
When I asked Doc Mico his overall journey from the preparation and actual presentation of this event, his response was:
“Given what I’ve learned from my journey in collecting and giving lectures, I’ve realized that Philippine Basketball is truly very deep, very colorful and also it is something that each Filipino should be proud of and that is why we should teach Filipino Basketball to our youth and also appreciate our basketball history is and that their interest will not be wavered with regards to our Philippine Basketball scene.”
A Part 2 for a Historical Basketball Exhibit Soon?
“Given that this histoEx is such a wonderful event for highlighting not just basketball but Philippine history and culture in general, hopefully histoEx and SBP can also be part again,” highlighting how successful the 3-day event was at Araneta.
“Personally I look forward to giving exhibits like this in different venues and also giving talks to schools to educate our young colleagues or young countrymen about the history of Philippine basketball.”
A Room Full of Knowledge, Wisdom, and Stories
Overall, the experience of being part of a convention that emphasizes the rich history of the Philippines is truly irreplaceable and one for the record books.
It somehow reminded me of being a high school/college student once again, as I was mesmerized by the different valuable items that these collectors and historians preserved.
I also took a selfie with Dr. Mico and some other historians, sports media figures, and I even got interviewed for a sports news.
