If there is one thing in the world I can easily bet my soul on, it would be the fact in every Filipino subdivision, there is at least one area allotted to basketball courts.

Even when you pass by narrow alleys where shanties lean against each other, it is guaranteed that a basketball hoop will stand tall amongst the dwellers, each waiting for their turn to play. 

So this had me thinking... why are Filipinos fascinated with basketball? 

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History 

During the American colonial period, basketball was introduced to Filipinos through the Youth Basketball Association (YMCA) and the school system. In 1910, it was initially a women's sport and was played during interscholastic meets from 1911 to 1913. 

At the time, female basketball players were questioned by conservative unions and Catholic churches. The aforementioned groups frowned upon the bloomers (usually a dress over the loose-fitting pants) worn by women in basketball. This event would, later on, result in a decline in the number of female basketball players.

The first men's national team championed in the first Far Eastern Championship Games in 1913. In the succeeding years, the Filipino obsession with basketball grew rapidly that the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), which had basketball as its main sport, was established in 1924.

In 1936, the Philippines became a member of the International Basketball Federation (FIBA). In the same year, the country made its debut in the Olympic games where they finished fifth, the best result of an Asian team in Olympic basketball history.