WHEN New Zealand played against Gilas Pilipinas during the November window of the FIBA Asia Cup 2025 qualifiers at the Mall of Asia Arena, there was one Filipino on the bench of the Tall Blacks.
That was a surreal experience for Manu Hoque, who has been residing in New Zealand for almost 10 years after coaching stints in the Philippines, most notably as a deputy with Columbian Dyip in the PBA from 2018 to 2019 under the late Ricky Dandan, and his alma mater University of the Philippines from 2012 to 2014, and 2018 to 2019.
Part of his role with the Tall Blacks during the window, Hoque said, was helping out in the scouting report of the Gilas players, most of whom he is very familiar with being once an assistant coach in the PBA.
READ NZ Tall Blacks say all or nothing in home game against Gilas
“Honestly, I had mixed emotions,” said the 45-year-old three months later, in an online interview from his Auckland base. “I had a lot of fun especially sa crowd sa Philippines, kasi na-miss ko ‘yun. Nakaka-miss ‘yung ganoon karaming nanonood.”
Hoque won’t be on the Tall Blacks bench this time when they host Gilas Pilipinas on Sunday in Auckland, but in past years, he has contributed to the development of the sport in the grassroots level under the New Zealand federation’s programs.
He has also been helping out in nurturing talent in the Filipino community in New Zealand with camps he has organized, and with the Pinoy Mavs club that has been competing in leagues in Manila such as the NBTC and the Pilipinas Super League.
“Medyo matagal rin ako nasa [New Zealand] national program before, which was back when we moved here sa New Zealand about 10 years ago na. I was involved sa national talent identification ng age-group teams. It’s a supporting role sa progression ng players papunta sa Tall Blacks.
“Apart from that, I’ve also been active sa basketball sa Filipino community, just trying to create pathways para sa mga bata dito na makahanap ng opportunities sa Philippines and sa US din as well,” said Hoque.
Now, Hoque also works for a basketball tech company specializing in automated game delivery through software. Outside of that, Hoque and his group have been conducting camps for Filipino kids in New Zealand. Locals are welcome to participate.
“We have different camps that I run. It’s mostly during school break ng mga bata para it’s like a talent ID na ma-identify ang mga players. We also talk to the parents, what their plans are for their children or their child.
"Nilalatagan namin sila ng puwede nilang makuhang opportunities para sa mga anak nila sa Philippines and also sa US kasi mayroon ding mga Pinoy na nanggaling dito na nasa US na nag-aaral. I and my other colleagues, we travel around the country once in a while, [hold] camps just so that we can look at a few kids around New Zealand,” he said.
Hoque efforts paying off
Hoque is delighted that the efforts have been paying off, as a number of high school and college players are already in Manila, studying through scholarships with an option to make a career out of basketball in their homeland.
“(It) has been really a lot of fun for us kasi I think before we arrived, wala pa masyadong idea na meron palang certain opportunities for the Filipino kids din dito, to go to Manila and pursue basketball and other sports din,” said Hoque.
Hoque sees more Filipino kids and families in New Zealand seeing the Philippines as a viable option for basketball especially now there are three PBA players from the country in Kenneth Tuffin, Ritchie Rodger, and Pat Maagdenberg, and more Philippine-based coaches making the trip to participate in the camps.
“We have very good support from different clubs around New Zealand. So hopefully, dumami pa ‘yung mga bata na makakuha ng opportunities kahit anong league pa ‘yan. It’s something that they can pursue and hopefully, make a living from. And sana, dumami din exposure ng mga bata dito in the future,” said Hoque.
The Pinoy Mavs is just one of the active basketball clubs in New Zealand, and this club system, in Hoque’s opinion, is the reason why the country has one of the highly-ranked teams in the world even though basketball is not that huge there compared to other sports such as rugby and cricket.
“Ang maganda talaga dito is the way they start ‘yung players kasi it’s club system, so patterned sa Europe, which is they start with the age groups. Solid ‘yung foundations nila sa programs through the age groups.
"And then kamukha nitong nag-Top 4 sa Under-17 World Championships in New Zealand din, ‘yung group na ‘yun, they have been together since they were 13-under, magkakasama sila sa 15-under. So ‘yung progression nila, tuluy-tuloy, naka-streamline ‘yung players going toward the senior teams.
"Well-organized in terms of ‘yung pag-grow ng sport, lalong-lalo sa community. Maganda ‘yung buy-in ng community which is they really support yung federation pag meron mga programs sila to roll out,” said Hoque.
Despite the Tall Blacks being ranked higher than Gilas at No. 22 in the world, Hoque said New Zealand always had high regard for Philippine basketball, not just for the skills of the players but also the knowledge of its fan base.
“’Yung mga players namin sa New Zealand really had fun. Hindi naman favorable ‘yung result na nakuha namin. But I think more on the experience of the players and the coaching staff, they really loved the atmosphere," said Hoque, looking back on the Tall Blacks' loss to Gilas in the November window of the Asia Cup qualifiers.
"And they really had a tough time playing against us, of course. Then, on top of that, you have to also deal with the crowd. I think it was a very remarkable, memorable experience for the Tall Blacks.
"Hospitable and accommodating (Filipinos), kahit saan sila pumunta - sa mall, sa practice, ‘yung mga tao, nakikipagkuwentuhan sa kanila about basketball. So that was really a good experience for them,” said Hoque.
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