THE PBA Golden Era | 7 Filipino American Basketball Players of the 2000’s

Growing up in the Philippines, my life revolved around the game of basketball. My dad was in the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA), where he played 18 years professionally alongside some of the most skilled players in Asia. I grew up court-side, watching them in their element, eating boat loads of popcorn, cheering for their wins, and crying for their losses. Here are a few of my Titos that have left a lasting impact on me and many.

Jeff Cariaso 

First up, “The Jet”, Jeff Cariaso. I remember meeting Tito Jeff as a little kid and thinking he was one of the kindest Titos in the league. Being good friends with his daughter Aya meant seeing him often. When our dads were teammates, I witnessed firsthand how much of an asset he was on the court. Oftentimes, he was the glue that held the team together.

Jeff was drafted into the league in 1995 by the Alaska Aces. He started his career with a bang and ended his first year in the PBA as Rookie of the Year. The following year, he further proved his value on the court by playing an instrumental role in Alaska’s iconic Grand Slam win, scoring the game winning free throws to seal the deal. His years in the league amount to a long list of achievements. Some of which include 8 PBA championships, one finals MVP award, a Best Player of the Conference award, and 10 appearances as a PBA All-Star. As a coach, he coached two of the most popular teams in the Philippines, Barangay Ginebra and the Alaska Aces. Off the court, he is co-founder of Titan, the first and only basketball specialty concept store in the Philippines.

Follow Jeff on Instagram at @thejet_22.

Ali Peek

If you’re a PBA fan, from any era, I’m sure you’ve heard of the “Man Mountain”, my Ninong (godfather), Ali Peek. Ninong Ali is one of the most knowledgeable players both on and off the court. Most of the time we’ve shared together consists of countless conversations about his career, life, and Star Wars (one of his favorite things in the world aside from his beautiful family and basketball, of course).

Ali’s journey in the Philippine basketball scene started when he was drafted 3rd overall in the 1998 PBA draft by the Pop Cola Panthers. A few years in, he was traded to the Alaska Aces, where he won Best Player of the Conference in the 2003 Invitational Cup. Throughout his fruitful career, he played for a number of teams, consisting of the Coca-Cola Tigers, Sta. Lucia Realtors and the Talk ‘N Text Phone Pals. In 2007, during the Fiesta Conference, Ali joined the ranks of the 5,000 points club as its 55th member in the league’s history. His time in the PBA brought a long list of achievements, which include 6 PBA championships, a PBA Sportsmanship award, 5 PBA All-Star appearances, and spots on the Mythical First and Second Teams. After his retirement, Ali went into broadcasting and analyzing games of the next generation on live TV. He also tried his hand in acting, appearing on the big screens for the hit teleserye Ang Panday and starring in an Old Spice commercial. 

Follow Ali on Instagram at @mtnpeek34.

Danny Seigle 

One of the most decorated players of the 2000’s was none other than my Tito, "Dynamite" Danny Seigle. When he played alongside my dad on the San Miguel Beermen, their team went on an insane championship run that, to this day, is recognized as an important part in PBA history. Tito Danny was fun to watch on the court and even more fun to hang out with off of it. 

On offense and defense, Danny was one of the most entertaining players in the league. Constantly giving his best rewarded him big time throughout his time in Philippine basketball. His start was something out of the ordinary, as San Miguel picked him up as a direct hire in 1999. This was part of the league’s rule that temporarily changed the game in terms of team recruitment. Danny ended his first year with a number of major awards, which immediately made him one to watch. He carried this momentum into the rest of his career, leading the league in points and free throws for multiple years. Ultimately, he retired with 8 championships, 4 Finals MVP titles, 8 All Star appearances, 2 Best Player of the Conference titles, 3 Mythical First Team awards, 1 Mythical Second Team award, and a PBA Comeback Player of the Year award. In addition to all of this, Danny brought pride to our country as a two-time member of the Philippine National team. After his career, he contributed his knowledge of the game as a coach to the San Miguel Alab Pilipinas and De La Salle Green Archers teams. 

Follow Danny on Instagram at @dannyseigle42.

Harvey Carey

When I think about loyalty and commitment, my Tito, Harvey Carey, is one of the first people that comes to mind. On the court, he was a role player, always getting the job done. Off the court, I look up to him for the love that he has for his beautiful family and those that he cares about. It doesn’t matter if we’re in the Philippines or in the US, everytime our families get together, it’s a good time. 

Grabbed from: https://www.instagram.com/p/Bi5_t4lBSkZ/ 

Harvey is best known for the time that he spent dominating the PBA with the Talk N’ Text Tropang Texters, who drafted him as the 4th overall pick in the 2003 PBA Draft. He is one of the few players in the league who stayed with the same team all throughout their career. In addition to this, Harvey was one of the most valuable players that the franchise ever had in their lineup. This was proven in his career with his achievements consisting of 7 PBA championships, an appearance as a PBA All-Star in 2011, and hard earned spots on the PBA Mythical Second Team (2003) and the PBA All-Defensive Team (2007). After 17 incredible seasons, Harvey made the decision to retire. After his retirement in 2021, he moved back to the United States and started passing on his valuable knowledge of the game to up and coming high school players of the Bay Area. His son, Trey, has the same love for basketball and is determined to make a name of his own in the game. 

Follow Harvey on Instagram at @manilablk4.

Eugene Tejada 

One of the most inspiring players in the league, in my book, is Eugene Tejada. Both on and off the court, Tito Gene taught me the importance of perseverance and showing up for those you care about. Whether it was grabbing rebounds off the board or taking my brothers and I on McDonalds runs after picking us up from school, he always went above and beyond. 

In 2003, Eugene made the courageous decision to move to the Philippines and pursue a career as a professional basketball player in the PBA. He was drafted 15th overall by the Alaska Aces and went on to make a mark of his own, despite major culture shock and self doubt. He was traded to the Purefoods Chunkee Giants and quickly rose to popularity in the ranks of the league. However, in the thick of a successful run, his career was put to a halt due to an unfortunate accident that took place in a game on Mother’s Day, May 14, 2006. After going up for a rebound, he fell to the ground. As he fell, another person from the opposing team fell on top of him. This left Gene with a fractured c5-c6 neck vertebrae and paralyzed him from the neck down. In the span of a few seconds, his life changed forever. However, this did not stop him from rising. Fifteen years later, he shared his journey in his autobiography, “Ready to Rise: One Man’s Journey from Paralysis to Liberation.” which depicts his incredible journey to becoming the inspiring man that he is today. 

Mike Cortez

Mike Cortez was one of the coolest players around, and not just because of his moniker, the “Cool Cat”. Growing up, I admired Tito Mike for his ability to carry himself with confidence and look cool while doing it. A big chunk of my childhood was spent hanging out with his sons, Jacob and Mikey, who my siblings and I used to play basketball, football, and Mario Party with on the daily. Through the years, I came to find that on and off the court, Mike is a dominant force for those in his corner. 

Mike’s entrance into the Philippine basketball scene started in his college years, where he played for the highly respected De La Salle University Green Archers. He was able to establish his name and carry his skills with him into the PBA and was drafted as the top overall pick in the 2003 draft by the Alaska Aces. Throughout his career, Mike made his mark on a number of teams, playing with the San Miguel Beermen, Air21 Express, Meralco Bolts, Blackwater Elite, GlobalPort Batang Pier, and Barangay Ginebra San Miguel. He ended his incredible journey in Philippine basketball as a PBA All Star with 3 championships and a spot on the Mythical Second Team. In addition to this, he was recognized as Comeback Player of the Year in the 2009 PBA Fiesta Conference. His sons, Jacob and Mikey are well on their way of making their own mark in the game. With Mike in their corner, there is no stopping the Cortezes. 

Follow Mike on Instagram at @mikejoycortez.

Nic Belasco 

On the court he was known as “Saint Nick”, but off the court, I called him dad. My dad, Nic Belasco, has spent almost the entirety of his life dedicated to the game of basketball, which took him all over the world. His dedication and passion for the game inspires me to give my all in everything that I do. 

Before immersing himself in the world of Philippine Basketball, Nic spent a good amount of time playing on the on the Bay Pride SF Pro-Am team alongside his teammates, NBA stars Jason Kidd, Gary Payton and Brian Shaw. Nic was scouted and invited to play in the Philippines not too long after. He eventually took a leap of faith and moved to the motherland in 1997 where he was drafted 2nd overall by Sunkist. Throughout his career, Nic racked up a long list of achievements, which included 8 PBA championships, 4 PBA All-Star appearances, 2 Mythical Second Team awards, a Mythical First team award, and a PBA All-Defensive Team award. He was forced into retirement due to an injury and moved back to the United States to start a new chapter. However, Nic quickly found himself back on the courts - but this time in another country and league. In 2012, he joined the Westport Malaysia Dragons in the ASEAN Basketball League, where he traveled all over Asia to compete as a Filipino import. After some time, Nic made his comeback to the Philippines by joining the Alaska Aces. His return to the league consisted of another championship title with the Aces before retiring again. On a mission to impart his knowledge to others, Nic started his own skills academy, the Belasco Unlimited Skills Academy and pro-am team, Team Mercenary/Laguna BUSA Warriors/Pateros Austen Morris Associates. He also made yet another return to the PBA as an assistant coach for the Phoenix Fuel Masters. To this day, Nic continuously shares his love for the game as the head coach of his high school alma mater, Franklin High School. 

Follow Nic on Instagram at @nicbelasco209.

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Written By Nico Belasco

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