Nine-time PBA champion Avelino “Samboy” Lim, known as “The Skywalker”, has died on Saturday at the age of 61.
“Our Hearts are broken… our dearly beloved Samboy passed away peacefully,” the statement read.
Lim was surrounded by relatives and fellow basketball stars that included Allan Caidic.
“Please pray for Samboy. He needs our prayers as we commend his soul to the loving arms of our Lord God,” the family wrote.
“Heaven gained an angel just in time for Christmas. We love you Samboy, thank you for loving all of us unconditionally … no more pain nor suffering! Goodbye for now …… you will be in our hearts forever,” they added.
It was a sad day for Philippine basketball fans. The Skywalker’s contribution will not be forgotten as he The family of the man known as “The Skywalker” announced his death on his official Facebook page. He was“Heaven gained an angel just in time for Christmas. We love you Samboy, thank you for loving all of us unconditionally,” the Facebook post stated. “No more pain nor suffering.”“Goodbye for now. You will be in our heartwas honored during a Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) game between the Phoenix Super LPG Fuel Masters and Lim’s former team, the San Miguel Beermen (SMB), at the Smart Araneta Coliseum, on Christmas Day.
At the halftime mark of the game that first saw the Beermen trail Phoenix 58-54, the PBA held a “final buzzer” for the “Skywalker,” with fans giving the late legend a standing ovation.
As of this writing, Lim’s cremated remains are at the Colegio Chapel at the Colegio de San Juan de Letran in Intramuros, Manila, and was transferred to the Arlington Memorial Chapels in Quezon City on Wednesday, December 27. Interment will be tomorrow, Friday, December 29, at the Garden of the Divine Word Columbarium in Quezon City.
SALUTE TO THE SKYWALKER
Samboy’s aerial expolits has earned respect from other players.
Lim played his entire PBA career with the San Miguel franchise, winning nine championships, including a Grand Slam in 1989, and averaging 16.0PPG over 11 seasons. His best individual season was 1990, when he averaged a career-high 22.1PPG and was the best player on the first-ever all-PBA national team. That team won the silver medal at the 1990 Asian Games where he was named to the All-Tournament starting five.
Samboy was the country’s rare “air”. His appeal was universal and covered all fan demographics – from young to old, casual to hardcore. He hardly ever got booed, not even by diehards from opposing teams.
“There are very few Filipino basketball players who could excite the crowd just by waiting to be subbed into the game,” explained sportscaster Sev Sarmenta, who has called PBA games for more than 30 years.
There was also another side to Lim that endeared him to PBA fans. He was as gracious off the court as he was graceful on it. The heights he reached while soaring to the basket were inversely proportional to how down-to-earth he was when he walked among fans.
Despite his celebrity status, Lim was also one of the most coachable players ever. Joe Lipa, who coached him on the 1986 national team that won a bronze medal at the Seoul Asian Games, called Lim an “ideal player.”
Samboy Lim was the embodiment of Pinoy basketball: fearless, exciting, improvisational. That he had a cool nickname and a unique look (he was the only player during his time who wore knee-length socks) only added to his mystique. Even in retirement, his passion for the sport did not wand he was still giving back to the game, and he was playing that fateful night of November 28, 2014 when he collapsed.
Thank you Samboy for your contribution to the sport of basketball. You will always be remembered.
With additional reports: The Manila Times, Manila Bulletin
