Ben Mbala is one of the most feared, respected, scrutinized, and highlighted athlete in Philippine sports today.
Some think the Cameroonian is a symbol of Philippine basketball’s need to be more open to globalization while others feel that the foreigner deprives local talent of the chance to prosper.
Mbala is not the first foreign student athlete to have competed in the local college circuit but he may very well be the greatest of them all.
Landing in the Queen City of the South
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The Cameroonian forward/center first arrived in the Philippines as a 17-year-old teenager back in 2011 thanks to his close friend and former UE Red Warrior Moustapha Arafat.
Arafat and Mbala both participated in a South Africa basketball camp arranged by the NBA-affiliated Basketball Without Borders for teenagers and the latter emerged as the MVP of the pool.
When a trip to the USA didn’t work out for Mbala, it was Arafat who convinced him to go the Philippines instead. Former Southwestern University coach Yayoy Alcoseba first contacted the teenager which led to him suit up for the Cobras.
“Coach Yayoy is more than a coach to me.
“He is more like a father. He is also a friend and teacher who guides me as well outside of the court,” shared Mbala back in 2012.
Under Alcoseba’s tutelage, Mbala powered SWU to its first CESAFI championship in a best-of-five series against the University of Visayas Green Lancers. Mbala scored 25 points in Game Five of the finals as SWU edged UV in a 73-72 classic.
Entering Imperial Manila
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Photo by Nevin Reyes
It wasn’t only glory that Mbala and the rest of the Cobras attained after winning winning the CESAFI crown, but also a chance to compete in the 2012 PCCL tournament.
SWU reached the semi-finals of the national collegiate competition where it faced the likes of UAAP five-peat champions Ateneo de Manila University and runners-up University of Santo Tomas and NCAA champions San Beda College.
The Cobras only won one game in the semi-finals and it was against eventual tournament winners the Growling Tigers. Mbala led SWU with 41 points and 16 rebounds as the Cebu school pulled the upset rug from UST.
Alcoseba stated, “Benoit is a very good player and he still has so much more to improve. He is only 18 years old and hopefully other Manila teams will not try to recruit him because it’s always like that.
“They should find their own.”
Once the tourney ended, the Yaounde-born cager averaged 27 points,12.3 rebounds and 3.7 blocks against Ateneo, UST and San Beda. Those stats were enough to raise eyebrows from UAAP and NCAA schools.
“Magaling talaga (si Mbala),” commented then-Red Lions mentor Ronnie Magsanoc whose thoughts were echoed by current Blue Eagles assistant coach Gabby Severino.
“He is very strong. He can shoot from the outside. He is very good underneath. He is a complete player in that aspect,” shared Severino.
“Puwede ba namin siya makuha?”
Going Green
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Ultimately, it was De La Salle University which managed to recruit Mbala.
“It’s official! Benoit Mbala is playing for the Green and White,” announced then-San Miguel Corporation sports director Noli Eala.
“Welcome to La Salle, Ben!”
By then the hype train caught Mbala. Former Green Archer and Alaska Aces coach Luigi Trillo saw the one-time CESAFI champion play against the PBA club in a pocket tournament and he was elated for his Alma Mater.
Trillo shared, “(Mbala’s) a very mature player for his age. Actually, I put Sonny Thoss on him and later on Calvin (Abueva). and Robert Dozier. They defended him well but he still scattered 23 points.”
Unfortunately for Mbala and the La Salle faithful, the Institute Ndi Samba alumnus had to wait three years before experiencing UAAP action. Two of those years were spent in residency while a third was handed to him as punishment for competing in a commercial league.
It was a big blow for Mbala and the wait pained him. “I had to understand that I have to go through things like that to be mature. I’m a man and I have to be accountable for my actions and my mistakes. I found a way to get back on track and I just left it up to God.”
Season 79 finally saw Mbala experience UAAP action and the wait was worth it. The fourth-year transferee powered La Salle to a memorable year where the Green Archers won the championship after having lost only one game in the season.
Mbala was emotional once the Green Archers sealed the title against the Blue Eagles and he failed to fight back tears when a La Salle official handed him his championship shirt. He was also named the regular season MVP beforehand.
The UAAP Season 79 MVP shared, “All of the teams want to beat us because they feel we’re the team to beat. And that’s the most challenging thing: Always step up, improve our game, and always find adjustments.
“It was a memorable finals after what I’ve been through.”
The Wild Ride of 2017
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By 2017, it felt like Mbala was on top of the world. He has amassed two college titles and one MVP gong. He also added another chapter to his resumé which was a stint in the FIBA AfroBasket 2017 tournament.
The two-time collegiate champion proved his talents weren’t only effective in the Philippines but also in international basketball as he averaged 21.8 points and 9.3 rebounds for Cameroon.
Mbala’s exploits made Lasallians excited for a first successful UAAP title defense since Season 64 and coaches and teammates alike were at awe with he has achieved.
La Salle coach Aldin Ayo explained, “Si Ben, we always tell him to do new things, kasi ‘yung bata, grabe ang work ethic. He can play the 2, 3, 4, 5 for us now, because of the skill set that he has developed.”
Green Archers captain Kib Montalbo also shared his excitement.
“Thank you Lord, may LeBron James na kami!”
While Mbala played his way towards another MVP gong, local sports personalities such as columnist Ding Marcelo and basketball stars Nico Salva and Kobe Paras shared their dismay at the fact a foreigner was named the best player in a local college league.
Debate raged on and it was as if Mbala’s highlight reel was matched by the discussion as to whether or not foreigners should be awarded as the MVP or even be allowed to compete in college sports.
”(Foreign student athletes) raised the standards of the game because of that talent. And the local players are learning to adapt to bigger opponents as well,” said Ayo..
For his part, the now Season 80 MVP fired back at his critics. “It’s pretty funny because since I’ve been here I’ve seen a local guy win MVP even with, like they call us, imports. There’s (Kiefer) Ravena who won back-to-back, Bobby (Ray Parks) who had back-to-back as well. So if you’re good, you’ll get it.
“Right now, I just feel like they’re looking for excuses.”
Unfortunately for Mbala and the rest of the Green Archers, it was the Blue Eagles’ turn to celebrate as they went on to prevail in a classic finals series and win their first championship in five years.
“This has to be a learning experience for me.
“You can’t just learn by winning, you can also learn by losing. This is a situation that you have to learn by losing and I take it as a man,” the 22-year-old reflected.
The End of an Era
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Photo from Fuerza Regia’s Instagram
Truth be told, Mbala simply became too big for the UAAP. Most athletes see the UAAP as the pinnacle of their sporting careers. For Mbala, though, it simply became his stepping stone.
Mbala rebuffed NBA scouts during his AfroBasket and even turned down an invitation to represent Cameroon in one FIBA World Cup qualifier since the window clashed with a La Salle game.
Talk of the Cameroonian turning pro, though, never quelled down. Ateneo mentor Tab Baldwin even gave him a glowing recommendation. “I just was getting messages from a club in Turkey asking about him.
“I gave Ben a very good reference because I believe he deserves a very good reference.”
UAAP fans wondered if Mbala would return and help La Salle reclaim the crown or to finally turn professional. It was only last December 22, 2017 when news of Mbala’s move to Mexican club Fuerza Regia broke out.
Sports writer Quinito Henson shared that Mbala wouldn’t be eligible for Season 81 after the seven-year-out-of-high-school rule was reinstated in the UAAP. The Cameroonian opted to turn pro as a result and provided nine points and five rebounds in 13.5 minutes off the bench to help Fuerza prevail 87-69 over Panteras de Aguascaliente in his debut.
“It all started when my last year, things were not really sure. With the rules that have been coming out, I had to talk to my family and the people at school. I felt that it’s time for me to get to the next level instead of wasting one year not doing anything,” bared Mbala.
Love him or hate him, Mbala’s legacy cannot be overstated. He has not only brought credibility to Philippine basketball, but also enriched discussion on what foreign student athletes such as himself can bring to the local game.
After all that’s said and done, Mbala has earned himself a home away from Cameroon.
“I love the Philippines. It’s not like I’m leaving the Philippines forever,” Mbala beamed. “I will visit from time to time.
“If I get an offer to play in the Philippines, why not? I’ll grab it!”
