AND1 Philippines hosts inaugural “WE are AND Juan” basketball game

[Streetball’s Finest  –  9.17.12] – AND1 Philippines hosts inaugural “WE are AND Juan” basketball game

Inks: FLASH aka g_sk1lls 
Images: Flash / Li’l Wizard / various

No amount of rain nor flooding can dampen the spirits nor stop determined AND Juans from all over Metro Manila to attend and play in the 1^st ever “WE are AND Juan” friendly basketball games held at the Reyes Gym in Mandaluyong on September 16, 2012.  Originally conceptualized to coincide with the 1^st anniversary of the AND1 Philippines online site (blog, FB, and Twitter), the 2-hour scrimmages drew some 20 streetballers, freestylers, and fans of the AND1 brand together for an afternoon of friendly and yet competitive basketball.

Notable attendees were representatives and members of two of the most recognizable streetball groups in the Philippines – Flip Ballaz and Ballers Republic.  Key personalities included Bounce, BallHustla, MC Angelo, H20, and one of the featured stars of the AND1 Mixtape Tour – Asia Pacific (2005/2006), Li’l Wizard.  Posted a Youtube clip of the Li’l Wiz, just to jolt your memory.

Click to play.

Li'l Wizard, Bounce, and Li'l A.I. chillin'..

MC Angelo with Li'l Wizard and H20.

BallHustla (Ballers Republic) and Li'l Wizard (Flip Ballaz) sharing a light moment.

Check out images below from the games.  More pictures have already been uploaded in the AND1 Philippines Facebook fanpage.  Click HERE to view.

AND1 Ph's very own Flash shown here hoisting a trifecta.

BallHustla showing off his tricks while being guarded by Li'l Wizard.

A view of the sidelines.

It is interesting to note that most, if not all of the participants/players wore AND1 shoes during the game as their show of support and solidarity to the AND1 brand.  Styles/shoe models from past and present (Taichi Mids, Rocket Mids, Empire Mids, AUT 720 Mids, Straight Cash Mids, etc) were used by AND Juans, as well as AND1 apparel and accessories.  As a gesture of appreciation, AND1 Philippines handed out free limited edition baller bands to all participants.

Limited edition AND1 Ph baller bands were given away to all of the participants.

The AND1 Philippines team wishes to extend its sincerest thanks to all those who attended and supported the inaugural run.  There are already talks of holding the basketball games once a month to make it a regular event.  Watch out for more And1 Ph news and announcements in the local and international scene by following us on Twitter (@and1ph) and LIKE us on Facebook (www.facebook.com/and1ph).  And that’s the 411, And Juan!

ZALORA Philippines online store offers AND1 footwear with 30% off

[Shoe News – 9.14.12] – ZALORA Philippines online store offers AND1 footwear with 30% off

Inks: FLASH aka g_sk1lls 

Images: Zalora Philippines

Mabuhay, AND Juans!  ZALORA Philippines, the first fashion retail website locally that carries a wide range of local and international brands of shoes, including AND1, just informed me that they will be having a 30% off sale on AND1 pairs starting today.  Check out the banner image below.

For those who are already savvy with how online retail stores work, it really is fairly easy.  Log on to the site, add the item to your shopping cart, input the code, and then select your preferred payment option.  Delivery is usually within 3-5 business days.  With ZALORA Philippines, the deal just got sweeter.  They offer FREE shipping nationwide, same day delivery, and yes, you even have the option to pay them COD (Cash on Delivery).  Absolutely convenient, and for the busy AND1 baller who can’t afford a timeout because he has basketball on his mind most of the time, these are key perks.

The mechanics for the AND1 30% off sale on ZALORA Philippines are as follows:

• On your web browser, head to www.zalora.com.ph/and1sale
• Select which model/colorway you like
• Click "Add to Cart"
• In the coupon code section, type: AND1SALE1 for the 30% discount

Note that this special promo is only available to their loyal customers, so go right ahead and start shopping for your latest pair of basketball sneakers.

Big thanks to Arianne K. of ZALORA Philippines for the heads up on this promo.  Find them online through Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/ZaloraPH) and Twitter (follow @ZALORAPH).  For local and international AND1 news, do follow us on Twitter (@and1ph) and please LIKE us on Facebook (facebook.com/and1ph) so that our posts appears on your newsfeeds.  Happy online shopping, AND Juans!

New AND1 print ad for the bj-League (Japan) official guide book

[Foreign Flava – 9.12.12] – New AND1 print ad for the bj-League (Japan) official guide book

Inks: FLASH aka g_sk1lls 

Images: And1 Japan (c/o And1 USA, via e-mail)

AND1 Japan will be releasing this new print material for the official guide book of the bj-League (Japan’s professional basketball league).  It features former AND1 Mixtape standout and the reigning bj-League dunk champion John “Helicopter” Humphrey in his Saitama Broncos jersey, rocking a pair of Empire Mid PEs (player exclusives) – posted the ad below.

Two things that’s quite obvious in the image is the text – “Born To Ball” (a new marketing slogan?  We’ll try to get more info on this soon.) and an official first glimpse of the AND1 20^th anniversary logo which we previewed in this blog article.  Check out the teaser image below, posted back in July 2012.

To find out more about Helicopter’s high-flying exploits in the land of the rising sun, click here.  For updates about AND1 Japan (AND1 Fukuoka), visit them at http://and1.jp/fukuoka/.  Don’t forget to follow us on Twitter (@and1ph) for local and international news & updates and LIKE us on Facebook (www.facebook.com/and1ph).  And that’s the 411, And Juan!

New AND1 footwear for 2012 Q3/Q4 to hit local retail very soon

[Shoe News – 8.30.12] – New AND1 footwear for 2012 Q3/Q4 to hit local retail very soon

Inks: FLASH aka g_sk1lls 

Images: Various online sources

Mabuhay, AND Juans!  Just got word last week courtesy of Relzbach Ventures (the local distributor of AND1) that AKT!V outlets/AND1 retail stores in various local malls will be receiving their stocks of new 2012 footwear for the 3^rd and 4^th quarter of the year. 

Sharing below the first set for September 1 and 15 drops (actual store availability may change without prior notice), including the colorways and price points.  Added reference pictures, but actual product/s may vary.

September 1

• Guardian Mid = Php 5,495
• METALLIC DK GREY/BLACK/VARSITY RED* 

September 15

• Thunder Mid = Php 3,995
• BLACK/VARSITY RED/BLACK*
• ASPHALT/BLACK/LIME
• BLACK/ROYAL/SILVER

• Dragon Mid = Php 4,195
• ROYAL/ROYAL/BLACK
• VARSITY RED/VARSITY RED/ 24 KARAT*
• BLACK/BLACK/ DARK GREY*

• Rocket 3.0 Mid = Php 2,395
• WHITE/WHITE/ BLACK*
• BLACK/BLACK*
• ASPHALT/ASPHALT/BLACK*
• WHITE/WHITE/ROYAL*

• Guardian Mid = Php 5,495
• CRIMSON/ CRIMSON/BLACK*

*denotes images are provided

Information on October releases are also already available, but won’t be revealing those yet (oh boy, we love surprises).  Actual in-store images will be posted once the September deliveries are already in stock.

Big thanks to Relzbach Ventures/AKT!V partners for the heads up on these upcoming arrivals.  Follow us on Twitter for the latest news (@and1ph) on shoe sightings, and please LIKE us on Facebook (facebook.com/and1ph) so that our posts appears on your newsfeeds.  Check out the new models for yourselves very soon, And Juans!

Coming soon...

Lingerie Basketball League (2nd season) sponsored by AND1

[Shoe Session – 8.27.12] – Lingerie Basketball League (2^nd season) sponsored by AND1

Inks: FLASH aka g_sk1lls 

Images: LBL website/FB fanpage and SOS Photography FB fanpage

When one thinks about women’s basketball, images of WNBA and WNCAA immediately come to mind.  However, quite recently, a new twist to this sporting event now features sexy women clad only in ladies underwear and is now being played in California, USA.  The Lingerie Basketball League – an American basketball league now on its 2^nd season after a successful pioneering run last 2011, features 4 teams of female basketball players. 

Rocking AND1 kicks for the game in Venice Beach.

Last month, the LBL has announced that they have officially teamed up with AND1 in bringing an exciting 2012 season to its fans.  According to the press release (shared from the LBL FB fanpage – image posted below), Nina Kako, President and Founder of the LBL said “It is an honor to have the AND1 brand linked so closely with the LBL. AND1 has an amazing reputation as leaders in the basketball community, and we are confident that this partnership will create robust synergies for both organizations.”

AND1 kicks for the use of the LBL players.

The League is made up currently of 32 female athletes, spread across four teams – the LA Beauties, LA Glam, LA Divas, and LA Starlets.  Find out more about the LBL by checking out their official website at this link.

Upon checking the roster of players (http://lingeriebasketball.com/players), two Filipinas (playing for different teams) are actually part of the League.  Former Philippine Women’s National Basketball Team (Perlas Pilipinas) standout Mae Escobar is the team captain of the LA Starlets while fellow Pinay Jem Prudencio has just joined this year as part of the LA Beauties. 

The games have already started last August 24 and will run until mid-November.  Check out the schedule below to catch their games.

For more info about the LBL, check them out in Twitter (follow @LingerieBball) and on Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/lbleague).  Stay tuned to AND1 Philippines for international features and the regular local updates by also following us on Twitter (follow @and1ph) and LIKE us on Facebook (www.facebook.com/and1ph).  And that’s the 411, And Juan!

 Pinay Mae Escobar with a picture-perfect lefty jumpshot.

The And1 Empire 2.0 Mids (performance)

[Sole Spotlight – 8.24.12] – The And1 Empire 2.0 Mids (performance)

Inks and Images: FLASH aka g_sk1lls

Mabuhay, AND Juans!  Sole Spotlight for the month of August features the follow up to the groundbreaking Empire Mid line of AND1 – the Empire 2.0.   

Coincidentally, this shoe gets featured on a review on the month named after a Roman emperor (Augustus Caesar), so please pardon the pun - BUILD YOUR EMPIRE indeed.  Posted below some images for everybody’s reference.

 Lace 'em up.

This yet-to-be-released shoe model was part of the care package I received last July courtesy of AND1 US (s/o to Rob Purvy, Becky Cheng, and AJ Vander Woude) and should hopefully reach local shores within late 2012 or early 2013.

What I love most about using this pair for malling/chilling out is that its vibrant blue and yellow highlights (reminiscent of the Golden State Warriors team colors) are definitely a head-turner, plus it’s lighter than its predecessor.  Speaking of its predecessor, check out some comparison images below. 

The Empire 2.0 Mid (right) features a sleeker design, 

but incorporates the same sole as the original.

The Empire 2.0 Mid features a different cut than the 1st Empire Mid.  

It sports a low-top profile instead.

Chillin' like a G.

On the court, I’m very pleased with the way it hugged my feet despite having a low-cut profile.  I’m going out on a limb here, but this shoe just barged right into my top 5 kicks that I’ve ever hooped in, and I’ve hooped in a lot of AND1 pairs already.  There’s something about the combination of perfect fit, low-cut profile, right weight, on-court grip, and L2G tech that makes this shoe a must-cop.

High socks, anyone?

Similar to the AND1 Guardian Mid that I’ve featured in last July’s Sole Spotlight, the Empire 2.0 also features a “stitch-less, no-sew construction for comfort” plus “asymmetrical toe increases support.”  It also has “mesh panels (that) reduce weight and increase ventilation,” much like the previously released Empire Mids, and the full-length airbag that helps reduce impact.  Add L2G tech, and you’re good to go.

More pictures of the shoe below.  The Empire 2.0 Mid is good for players looking for a shoe that is lightweight, responds well to sudden cuts and shifts in direction without sacrificing support, and maximum support for high-impact landings.

Check out more of Sole Spotlight in the succeeding months, only from And1 Ph.  ONE!

 The outsole - featuring L2G technology.

It has the same sole as the original Empire Mid 

(varsity red/white colorway, pictured below).