Meet the young basketball athlete geared up to play in Manila with Fil-Am team
Photo from alayna.petalber/Instagram
Basketball is as illustrious as adobo and lumpia are in the Philippines. Filipinos have these intrinsic skills on the court whether at home or abroad and Fil-Am basketball player Alayna Petalber is here to prove not just her roots but also her talents.
From Fil-Am Science achievers to basketball prodigies, Filipinos abroad sure know how to herald greatness in their chosen fields. Petalber, a senior from Boylan isn’t just sunk in her books — she’s also hitting shots and dreaming big.
Her after-school schedule? Gearing up to represent the Filipino American team in a tournament in Manila. “It’s an amazing opportunity,” said Petalber, sharing her excitement.
Playing internationally isn’t something she had imagined. “Not a lot of people from a small town in Rockford get this opportunity. It’s nice I can combine both basketball and my family together,” added Petalber.
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Joining forces with the Fil-Nation Select team for the Manila Live tournament in mid-March, she will make a statement as the team gears up for the competition featuring 32 teams worldwide.
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How this Fil-Am basketball player started as a sharpshooter
In 2022, Petalber was already redefining her playbook in the basketball scene averaging 12.3 points per game combined with her killer moves and as Boylan’s 3-point shooter.
She’s also got her defenses all up when she’s on the court. “When the ball is in my hands, the pressure is always on the defense,” shared Petalber.
From being a competitive gymnast to a basketball sensation, her journey is nothing short of phenomenal. She was first spotted at an AAU tournament in Chicago then a coach eventually invited her to a global summit in Texas before playing in Mexico for Fil-Am Select.
But for every good plot, there’s a plot twist (and sometimes setbacks) — she broke her ankle from playing kickball before the playoffs in Mexico. “I was completely heartbroken,” confessed Petalber.
But with her resilience, owing to her Filipino roots, she came back undeterred — and thanks to her Filipino parents who are both physical therapists. She healed in no time and returned to court.
Now, prepping to visit the Philippines for the first time in four years, it will be more than just a game to her — a homecoming with a chance to reconnect to her heritage and show her basketball prowess.
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Looking forward to representing not just her roots but also Boylan and the Midwest, she mused, “It will be nice to go back there, see my parents’ home, relax, and play basketball.”
As this Fil-Am basketball player suits up for the international stage, the world better be ready for another basketball prodigy.
