Flip Ballaz
Ni’no Ventura, John Lazo, Earl Real and Joshua Geco, were all basketball players before, but getting a hold of the AND1 Mix Tapes inspired them to put a little flair into their game. Pretty soon the group expanded to include J.V. Kapunan, Decky Decano, Dedick Manansala, Miguel Aragon, Francis Gacho and J.M. Paat. It was just a matter of time before they began shooting footage of themselves and distributing it to friends and anyone who showed any interest. In a roundabout way, the Flip Ballaz are themselves responsible for bringing the AND1 Mix Tape players over to the Phillippines. Their footage eventually ended up with he Philippine distributor of AND1, who promptly sent it to America, which then convinced them that sending the Mix Tape players over to Manila might not be such a bad idea after all. The Flip Ballaz are not just indulging a passing fancy “they take the sport very seriously and have even acquired nicknames of their own, very much like the Mix Tape players themselves. If they become as successful as their idols” not as unlikely a possibility as one might think, seeing that they have been invited to perform in PBA and PBL events and at charity games” they may become known not only by their real names but with such monikers as Ni’no “Dynomite” Ventura, John “Smily” Lazo, Earl “the Pearl” Real, Joshua “H2O” Gueco, J.V. “Shimmer” Kapunan, Decky “Nice Try” Decano, Dedick “D2D” Manansala, Miguel “Peewee” Aragon, Francis “Cartwheel” Gacho and J.M. “Predator” Paat.
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