Samboy Lim - Memorable Moments

Memorable Moments

• 37 points against Banco di Roma of Italy in the 1985 FIBA World Club Championships in Girona, Spain
• 27 points in San Miguel Beer's prestige-laden win over the IBA All-Stars
• 42 points to help the Veterans team clobber the combined RSJ team 146-118 (June 3, 1990 PBA All-Star Game).

• In the 1993 All-Filipino Finals Cup, Samboy made a memorable halfcourt shot at the buzzer against Coney Island. The shot made a huge impact to the game and to the series even though they did not won the title.

• Samboy Lim pioneered the cross-over head shoulder fake. He uses this to fake and by-pass his defender.

• He was a weird free-throw habit. Samboy messes up his hair before taking a shot in the free-throw lane and he doesn't bend his knees.

• Samboy Lim took over the PBA Top Ten Plays of the Week. His skywalking, driving, and passing moves was usually on the top spot every week.

• Aside from an All-Star MVP award in the PBA, Samboy won an MVP award in the NCAA as he propelled the Letran Knights to a grandslam feat during the early 1980s.

• Due to the style of his high-wire game, Samboy never completed a season in the PBA due to injuries. One of his tragic injuries was a heated game with Purefoods. Regaining momentum in the last quarter after trailing most of the game, Samboy drove past several defenders and was inadvertedly clotheslined by Jojo Lastimosa in the air. This caused Samboy's body to lose control and went flying upside down hitting his head first then shoulder on the hardwood floor. Blood spilled and he was taken out in a stretcher. He had a cut in his forehead that needed 18 stitches outside and 8 stitches inside to close up. Jojo, a close friend of Samboy visited him at Makati Medical Center. According to Jojo, the first thing that Samboy mentioned is "Who won the game?" This was the attitude of a true sportsman and a friend. Also during that game, the collision sent Samboy in a somersault and his foot hit the board. This is one of the most tragic injury witnessed by everyone in a basketball game.

• In 1993, the Sports Committee of the PBA created this award for Samboy because he was a true sportsman of the game. Also according to the media, the committee wanted to give this special award to Samboy in honor of his impact to the game and that he just couldn't complete a season because of injuries. For the many, this award for Samboy was almost considered an MVP award.

• Also in 1993, Samboy Lim and Hector Calma volunteered to have their salary cut in order to acquire their good friend, Allan Caidic (who was a free agent from the disbanded Presto Ice Cream). This deal resulted in multiple championships. Back then, San Miguel was an All-Star studded team composed of great players like Ramon Fernandez and Ato Agustin.

• Samboy wore the number 9 since his collegiate days up to the international games and in his entire career in the PBA.

• Samboy is the only player known to get applauses and standing ovation from fans (even fans from the opposing team) as he walks to the scoring table to enter the game. He also gets a thundering roar from the crowd whenever he touches the ball.

• There are many famous basketball players who idolize him. Most of them are self-confessed Samboy Lim fan themselves. Among them are Vergel Meneses, Paul Alvarez, James Yap, Danny Ildefonso, Mark Cardona and many others. Vergel Meneses "The Aerial Voyager" learned some nifty moves from Samboy that he applied to his slashing game. Paul Alvarez even mentioned in an interview that during his teenage years he runs home to watch the games of the Skywalker in the Ninoy Aquino Stadium. Samboy was even the great coach Big J Robert Jaworski's favorite player to field in in international games or in All-Star exhibitions. In the 1990 All-Star Game, Samboy played most of the entire game under coach Jaworski. The only time the Skywalker got a breather was when the Big J entered the game substituting him.

• In an Asian Journal, an author from China went to the Philippines to get a perspective of the Basketball Scene. After the visit, the author wrote that Samboy Lim is the Michael Jordan of the PBA. It was also mentioned in an article that Ron Jacobs, the famous coach of NCC/San Miguel in the International Arena, sent Samboy to the States for an operation. Ron Jacobs said to the doctor, "Please fix Samboy. He is my Michael Jordan." Even PBA commentator Joe Cantada addressed in the 1990 All-Star game that Samboy is the Michael Jordan of Philippine Basketball.

• The heart and competitiveness of the Dragon Skywalker Avelino "Samboy" Lim was evident especially on international competitions. In 1985, the Philippine Team competed in the World Club Basketball Championship in Girona, Spain. The Philippine team, wearing the San Miguel jersey, were loved by the European audiences due to the fact they were the smallest team competing on the tournament which included the national teams of Yugoslavia and Italy (Dražen Petrović that time was guarding Hector Calma). He led the team with his patented open court and acrobatic shots scoring his 37 points performance against Banco di Roma of Italy. Because of the intensity and competitiveness, during the game Samboy suffered extreme exhaustion and fatigue. After the game, he had to be carried out in a stretcher with an oxygen tank. His dedication and courage made him an instant folk hero. Then it happened again in their game against the US Team in the 1985 William Jones Cup where they won the game and became champions.

• Samboy played his entire 9 year career in the PBA with San Miguel Beer. He retired in 1998. He is one of only two players - the other being Alvin Patrimonio (Purefoods Tender Juicy Giants) who played for 1 team in his whole PBA career.