Fil-Ams join Warriors frenzy in San Francisco

Many diehard Filipino Warriors fans from around the San Francisco Bay Area cities, who have cheered the team even before their rise to the top, joined the crowd. (Photo: Vic Valbuena Bareng)

SAN FRANCISCO – Golden State Warriors (GSW) fans, basketball-crazy Filipinos among them, filled Market Street in downtown San Francisco Monday for the team’s first-ever victory parade in this city, after it clinched its 4^th National Basketball Association (NBA) Championship.

Players and coaches waved from atop double-decker buses, especially painted with names and images, drove along the closed-to-traffic main street. Many team members even mixed with euphoric fans.

Enterprising hawkers had heyday selling Warriors T-shirts, caps, pendants, balloons, championship belts, Bay-Area giant necklaces, and the usual hotdogs, ice cream and drinks.

Migo Guillen (right, first frame), himself a son of a Filipina star, was star-struck when he and brother Juanch (middle) and wife Yumi (left) were approached by Warriors player, general manager and coach. San Jose local Anthony Tonette Rivero (middle, nest frame) went to the parade and is flanked by son, Topee ( left), and grandson, Austyn (right).INQUIRER/Jun Nucum

Overall, the Warriors now have a total of seven NBA Championships since it won on the years 1947, 1956, and 1975 as Philadelphia Warriors before the Golden State Warriors won in 2015, 2017, 2018 and this year 2022.

Many diehard Filipino Warriors fans from around the San Francisco Bay Area cities, who have cheered the team even before their rise to the top, joined the crowd.

San Bruno, California resident Jonathan Imperio has been a follower since 1995 when one’s $20 could get you five tickets with hotdogs at the “Great Timeout” at Oracle Arena in Oakland.

“This is the championship the Warriors won to silence the haters, basher and naysayers that never gave the team a second look to be championship contenders after ranking the lowest two years ago due to injuries to and departure of some dependable players like Kevin Durant who was with them with 2017 and 2018 championship,” gloats Imperio.

Jonathan Imperio (left), shown with his family at the parade, was with the Warriors when tickets of five costs only $20 with hotdogs to boot.INQUIRER/Jun Nucum

He is impressed by how the Warriors and its management endeared themselves to their Filipino fan base by holding Filipino Heritage Night twice-a-year. Rivero says how the Warriors treat each other also inspired his family and help solidify their closeness.

”Rivero who has been a fan since the 1980s and brought to the U.S. from the Philippines his love for basketball as a fan of  Toyota team composed of Robert Jaworski, Ramon Fernandez and Francis Arnaiz, among others.

“The player development strategy they introduced paved the way for the team to morph from a training ground of star players to a team that made become champions,” Rivero observes.

It was the first time for Sunnyvale local and originally from Butuan City Migo Guillen to join a victory parade, but he was so happy he did with wife, Yumi, and brother, Junch, although they felt overwhelmed by the fan turnout.

Golden State Warriors (GSW) fans, basketball-crazy Filipinos among them, filled Market Street in downtown San Francisco Monday for the team’s first-ever victory parade in this city, after it clinched its 4th National Basketball Association (NBA) Championship. (Photo: Vic Valbuena Bareng)

 “I was star-struck after players and Warriors honchos like coach Steve Kerr, General Manager Bob Myers and guard Gary Payton II came down to greet us with high fives,” says Guillen whose mother is Filipina TV and movie star-dentist Vivian Foz.

He also says that the Warriors’ team spirit of treating each other equally, rookies or  stars, is very endearing.

Long time Filipina fan Maritess Ingco of South San Francisco missed the parade this time for health reasons but was able to catch the coverage by television networks.

Ingco’s favorite player is Klay Thompson whom she regards as a very good role model for those who have lost hope due to an injury, and as someone who never gives up.

“YESSSSSSS I think the Warriors can be champions again for at least five more years. We are a dynasty and nothing can hold us back now, we have the best team  in the league even as many thought we could never be champions, they were wrong, wrong wrong… lol,” Ingco teases.