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    Overseas veteran Allana Lim thrilled to see Pinay ballers have WNBL as new home

    Lim glad to see Pinay ballers no longer needing to go abroad to pursue hoops career
    Mar 8, 2021

    FOR a player who has been making a career out of playing overseas, Allana Lim is glad that finally, Filipina ballers have a home domestically with the WNBL.

    Lim has been all over Asia and the Pacific since her collegiate career with Far Eastern University came to an end to play in club competitions. But for this year, Lim will be part of a historic batch of women’s players that will play pro ball in the Philippines through the WNBL.

    Lim is happy for women’s players in the country as they will no longer need to go abroad in order to pursue a career in basketball.

    “Nung una ko narinig ko ‘yun, sabi ko, talagang sabi ko sa sarili ko, pagbibigyan ko pa sarili ko na maglaro,” said the 32-year-old Lim, who has played in different countries such as Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, Australia, and even Nepal to play in leagues abroad.

    “Sobrang malaking bagay po ito sa amin sa women’s community at sa Pinay ballers. May masasabi kami na may liga kami na sa amin. Tagal naming hinintay ito,” she added.

    The former UAAP MVP will be playing for the Parañaque Lady Aces in the inaugural season of the league as professional in status. She will join fellow FEU alumnus Clare Castro in the squad that is being seen as one of the top teams for the 2021 season.

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    Lim said she is aching to play in the WNBL since she heard the news that it is turning pro as it is a way to contribute to women’s basketball in the country.

    “Para kami naman ang mag-raise ng bar na maging competitive ang liga talaga. Once na ‘yung mga naglalaro doon is like ex-national players, dating UAAP, ‘yung mga matataas na liga ang pinaglalaruan, talagang tataas ang level,” she said.

    Lim noted the importance of having a basketball league for females, citing Malaysia as the country that benefited from it when it won the Southeast Asian Games gold in 2015 and 2017.

    “Sobrang masaya ako na hindi na ako kailangang mang-ibang bansa pa. Pakiramdam ko kasi sila ang nakikinabang sa mga talent ng Pinay ballers imbis na dito. Makakatulong ka sa sarili nyong liga at dito ka na maglaro,” said Lim.

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      But Lim said even her former teammates overseas are also happy with the news about professional women’s basketball in the country.

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      “Sobrang dami, mga teammates ko, pati sila masaya sa amin na mga Pinay ballers, may liga na. Siguro hoping din sila na someday, puwede silang payagan na maging import kasi isa rin ito sa magpapataas ng level,” said Lim.

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