The final buzzer sounded, and the Ninoy Aquino Stadium erupted. I was courtside, the energy still vibrating in the air, as Phoenix’s Kenneth Tuffin secured a heart-stopping 93-91 win over Rain or Shine with a put-back with a mere 0.7 seconds on the clock. It was a textbook example of fundamentals meeting clutch performance—a player being in the right place at the right time, with the relentless hustle to follow a missed shot. In that moment, Tuffin wasn’t executing a flashy crossover or a deep three; he was winning the game on a core basketball principle: relentless pursuit and positioning. Watching that play unfold, it struck me how often the game’s most dramatic moments hinge not on complexity, but on mastery of the basics. It’s a truth that applies whether you’re a professional in the PBA or someone just starting out at the local park. That’s why any serious player’s journey should begin with a comprehensive roadmap, something akin to the ultimate guide for a person playing basketball: from fundamentals to advanced moves. You can’t build a house without a foundation, and you can’t consistently hit game-winners without first mastering the layup.
Let’s rewind that critical play for a second. Rain or Shine, sitting second in the standings, was poised for another win. The game was tied, the pressure immense. A shot goes up, it rattles out, and in the chaos of bodies, it’s Tuffin who elevates, secures the ball, and gently guides it back into the net. All in 0.7 seconds. This wasn’t luck. This was years of drilled repetition: box-out drills, rebounding positioning, soft touch around the rim, and an ingrained understanding of timing. For Phoenix, this marked their second straight victory, a sign of a team building momentum not on hero-ball, but on executing under pressure. It’s a microcosm of the sport itself. The flashy highlights get the social media clips, but the games are won and lost on these granular details—the footwork on a defensive slide, the crispness of a chest pass, the arc on your free throw. I’ve seen too many young players eager to skip to the behind-the-back dribbles before they can reliably dribble with their head up. They want to emulate the ankle-breakers, not the fundamentalists. But ask any coach, and they’ll tell you the same thing: the players who last, who contribute when it matters, are the ones with the rock-solid base.
So, what does that guide actually look like in practice? From my own playing days and years of observation, I believe it starts with an almost obsessive focus on three pillars: shooting form, ball-handling with both hands, and defensive stance. Not glamorous, I know. But let’s get specific. A proper shooting form isn’t just about making shots; it’s about repeatability. Your elbow should be under the ball, your guide hand on the side, and your follow-through should look the same every single time. I’d argue a player should make at least 200 form shots a day before even stepping back to the three-point line. As for ball-handling, if you can’t go left, you’re effectively useless against a decent defender. Spend 15 minutes a day just walking up and down the court dribbling with your weak hand. It’s tedious, but the payoff is monumental. And defense—well, defense is about effort and intelligence. A low, wide stance, active hands, and communication. Statistics from last season showed that teams holding opponents under 45% field goal shooting won roughly 73% of their games. The numbers don’t lie. Defense wins championships because it’s built on fundamental, effort-based skills that anyone can learn.
Once that base is unshakable, that’s when the artistry begins. This is where the ultimate guide for a person playing basketball: from fundamentals to advanced moves transitions from the classroom to the laboratory. Advanced moves are simply fundamentals combined with deception, speed, and creativity. A crossover is a quick change of direction combined with a low, protective dribble. A step-back jumper is a hop combined with balance and that pristine shooting form we drilled. The euro-step is footwork and body control. Watching a player like Tuffin secure that offensive rebound, I saw advanced game awareness—reading the trajectory of the ball, anticipating where the defenders wouldn’t be—applied to a fundamental act. My personal preference has always leaned towards players who use their fundamentals to create advantages rather than relying solely on athleticism. I’ll take a player with a high basketball IQ and a deadly mid-range pull-up over a pure dunker any day of the week. The game, at its highest level, is chess, not just a track meet.
In the end, Saturday’s thriller was more than just a win for the Fuel Masters. It was a 48-minute testament to a simple, enduring philosophy. Kenneth Tuffin’s game-winning follow-up, a play born from countless hours of mundane practice, decided a contest between two of the league’s top teams. It propelled Phoenix forward and served as a stark reminder for Rain or Shine that even the best-laid plans can break down on a single, fundamental play. For anyone with a ball and a hoop, the lesson is clear. Dream of the game-winners, study the highlights, but spend your time in the grind. Build your game from the ground up. Because when the clock is ticking down—0.7 seconds, maybe—and the game is on the line, you won’t be thinking about a complicated move. You’ll revert to your training, to your fundamentals. And that, more than any trick in the book, is what will make the difference between a win and a loss. That’s the real journey, and honestly, it’s the most rewarding part.