Mae Escobar: Lingerie Basketball’s Brown Sugar (Part 2 of 2)

[Streetball’s Finest  –  10.15.12] – Mae Escobar: Lingerie Basketball’s Brown Sugar (Part 2 of 2)

Inks: FLASH aka g_sk1lls 
Images: Adrian Sidney and Mae Escobar (via Facebook and e-mail)

Last week, I posted Part 1 of the blog feature about Mae Escobar, one of many Filipina ballers for the Lingerie Basketball League (which, as you may know is currently sponsored by AND1).  You can click HERE to read Part 1, or just scroll down for the continuation.

Standing at 5 feet 9 inches, Mae usually plays shooting guard.  She grew up idolizing former NBA player and Indiana Pacer Reggie Miller, and remembers that “the most amazing game that I remember watching was Game 1 in 1995, the Pacers against the Knicks when Reggie scored 8pts in 9 sec. Best game ever!”   Currently, she adores the play of LA Sparks standout Candace Parker and mentioned that if she (Mae) was a little girl growing up, Parker’s game is definitely what she would want to mimic.

Mae swishes the AND1 free-throw.

I asked her some more questions about her experiences playing in the LBL, and have posted them below with her replies.

Flash: How did you hear about the LBL and how did you get to join?

Mae: “My best friend, Alex Carcamo actually told me about it. He found it online and submitted my pictures and information.  Received a call the next day and tried out and obviously made the Starlets team, a week before everything (the tournament) started. I was hesitant at first trying out, but I’m glad he convinced me to do it. Thanks Guy!”

Mae-"Day" can hold her own in the tough LBL tournament.

Flash: What’s the best part about playing for the LBL?

Mae: “The best part for me would be that I’m still playing ball.  I just LOVE the game and would love to play as long as I can.  Being sponsored by AND1 and getting free stuff to rock is also pretty amazing as well.”

Flash: Speaking of AND1, what was your first AND1 shoe?  How was the shoe’s performance relative to your needs?

Mae: “My first AND1s are the white and silver Empire Mids.  I have never strayed away from Nikes, but these shoes are really comfortable.  They have a lot of cushion and are very supportive.  I have a narrow foot and usually have to wear 2 socks for the extra cushion, but these Empires really have the support I need.”

Flash: Given your hectic schedule, how often do you train/play hoops?

Mae: “I really try and train with Keion (Flash: please see previous article) at least 3x a week. But most of the time I’m doing individual workouts on my own whenever I can. I work in the mornings and weekends so I usually get my workouts late at night.  Before I went to the Philippines, I was training after midnight to get the court all to myself with a friend that used to play overseas. He would rebound and help me get my shots up, do court workout and pool workouts and then I would go home and wake up 4 hours later for work. I was doing that at least 4-5x a week.”

Huddle up!

Flash: Any tips for aspiring female basketball players?

Mae: “My tips for aspiring females  who would like to play basketball on a professional level is if this is what you really want, hard work and persistence pays off.  If you are willing to get in the gym and actually do the work day in and day out, dreams really can be achieved. 

I have gone through 2 knee surgeries (orthoscopic on my right, and a reconstruction on my left knee - tore my meniscus, mcl and acl), I have had some de-motivating coaches who didn’t believe in me and actually killed my confidence in playing.  They convinced me that I should quit and I wasn’t good enough.  But my love for the game kept me in it.

Everyone has bad games, and life gets in the way sometimes but if you surround yourself with motivated and positive people who will help encourage and support your dream, I really believe you can do anything. I am definitely a good example!”

Flash: Final message for AND1 Philippines (and your AND Juan fans)?

Mae: “I would like to thank you for this great opportunity. I appreciate you even considering doing an article on me. I would love to thank AND1 for sponsoring and supporting the Lingerie league and im really excited to see where this partnership is going to go. The future for this league is going to be big and I cant wait until everything is revealed. *smiles*”

Lingerie Basketball League photoshoot.

You can follow Mae in Twitter (@maepebbles) or find her on Facebook (maepebbles@gmail.com) for current Lingerie Basketball updates and in her words…”me talking smack to the other girls (just kidding) and where we may be traveling to.”  Be sure to check out the official LBL website for highlights and updates at www.lingerbasketball.com.

As always, I’ll try to feature other streetball players soon, and so feel free to email us at and1pinas@gmail.com for your suggestions on who you want to be featured next.  Please check out and LIKE our Facebook fanpage (www.facebook.com/and1ph) and follow us on Twitter (@and1ph) for more news, spotlights, and the latest updates about the And1 brand in the Philippines.  And that’s the 411, And Juan!

Mae Escobar: Lingerie Basketball’s Brown Sugar (Part 1 of 2)

[Streetball’s Finest  –  10.12.12] – Mae Escobar: Lingerie Basketball’s Brown Sugar (Part 1 of 2)

Inks: FLASH aka g_sk1lls 

Images: Mae Escobar (via Facebook and e-mail)

This month’s edition of Streetball’s Finest (which spotlights some of the best ballers worldwide) marks the first time that we get to feature a female baller.  It’s not very often that we get to show love to our Pinay hoopsters, and everybody really needs to be aware that basketball is indeed a sport for everyone, not just the fellas.

 

Now a couple of months ago, I posted an article about AND1 being a major sponsor of the 2^nd season of the Lingerie Basketball League out in the City of Angels (click HERE for the write-up) & made mention of Pinay representation in the LBL.  One of them, Melissa Ann “Mae” Escobar, willingly obliged to be interviewed by AND1 Ph.  Currently the team captain of the LA Starlets (one of four teams in the LBL), this sweet-shooting two-guard was born in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada to Filipino parents.

When not hooping, she works in the hospitality industry and has since moved to the US from Canada when she turned 16.  She has these to say about her basketball roots, hoop experience, and love for the game:

Flash: How young were you when you first started with basketball?

Mae: “I was pretty young when I started. My dad actually played and joined a lot of adult basketball leagues that he would always take me to since I was a baby. When I got little bit bigger, I would shoot around on the side during his practices and games. When I was in elementary school, he put me in this Filipino basketball organization league with boys and girls teams in Canada called FILCANSA (Filipino Canadian Sports Association – http://filcansa.org/). When I played in the league he noticed I had talent so he started to teach and work with me.”

Young Mae with her dad - basketball roots run deep in her family.

Flash: What are some of the tournaments/leagues/events that you have participated in aside from the LBL?

Mae: “I have been playing basketball almost all my life. In Canada I played in a Filipino league and travel ball that was associated with the Filcansa organization.

I’ve joined countless adult leagues, played in the Nike Say No league during college, and the Drew Leagues which consists of retired overseas, current overseas and college athletes.  Recently, I was a part of the Womens national team, Perlas ng Pilipinas, this past summer.”

Hooping back in 12th grade.

Flash: What do you think of our local talent (Pinay basketball players)?

Mae: “Playing over there with the Women's National Team was such a great experience. They have helped my game and confidence level so much. When I first got there I was the 3rd tallest player on my team, and I'm only 5'9. I regularly play shooting guard so taking on and learning a post position was really difficult. But my team was really helpful and beat me up every day at practice until I got it down. Even though my team was vertically challenged, these women were so fast and talented. They have the biggest hearts and play with so much passion. They are also really physical and so strong, I've came out of many practices with so many bruises it looked like i got hit by a car.”

Flash: Any plans of visiting the Philippines?

Mae: “I really enjoyed my time this past summer in the PI. The hospitality of the people and the weather is amazing and so welcoming.  So I can’t wait and would love to come back. Hopefully the LBL will be there soon. *smiles*”

Continuation of this article will be posted on October 15.  More about Mae and her LBL experience in Part 2.  Stay tuned!

[UPDATE - 10.15.12] - Click HERE to read part 2 of this article.

Mae with Perlas ng Pilipinas and the Jakarta Women's Basketball Team.

Hanging out with her Perlas teammates.

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.