Back in the early 90s, teams’ and players’ box scores were given out to sportswriters covering basketball games by a team of statisticians led by mestizo-looking Joe Concepcion every after PBA game.
His team provides the score during the biggest lead of a certain team in the game; the number of lead changes and course, and the players’ statistics—all computed manually and distributed via carbon copies.
He can also be asked about the records of previous teams or players, as far back as the earliest years of the league. “Tanong mo kay Mang Joe,” were the familiar words back then in the press room.
“Mang Joe” was the PBA’s walking encyclopedia of numbers.
Many years later, when the country hosted the FIBA World Cup 2023, a lady named Patricia Mae Concepcion, was sitting among men at the officials’ table, keeping a close tab on the Final Phase of the World Cup.
It’s nothing big for her, however. After all, the job runs in her blood. Joe once suited up for Ateneo de Manila University during the Blue Eagles’ time in the NCAA before becoming the PBA’s official statistician until he died in 1999.
Nicknamed “Trisha,” she is the granddaughter of the late Joe Concepcion and the daughter of Merit and Gloria.
Trisha’s father, Merit, has been a fixture of statistics teams in the UAAP, NCAA, and Filoil EcoOil Preseason Cup, while Gloria was one of the first female statisticians in the Philippines before her passing.
That’s why even though she’s actually in rarified air during the world meet, it’s all just part of the job for Trisha.
“Nung una, intimidating, siyempre. ‘Di ko rin in-expect na mag-stats ako sa FIBA. Pero inisip ko lang, kung kaya nila, kaya ko rin,” she said after mentioning that she sits alongside men who are hard at work as well.
FOR FUN
Unlike her grandfather and parents, though, the third-generation statistician is keeping tabs on the best players in the world—mostly—for fun.
She’s a full-time senior analyst for Philippine Ratings Services Corp. after graduating from Ateneo with a degree in Applied Math.
“Actually, parang stress-reliever ko ‘to kasi mahilig ako sa basketball talaga,” she said, with a smile.
While the now 27-year-old has covered leagues like the UAAP and Filoil Preseason with her dad as a “stress-reliever” since she was in college, her love for basketball started from an early age.
A loud and proud citizen of Lakers Country, aka the Philippines, she shared that Kobe Bryant is her all-time favorite.
“Numbers talaga hilig ko ever since, pero napamahal ako sa math on my own lang. Siguro, yung pinaka-influence pa nina daddy is yung basketball,” she said.
As the lone woman basketball statistician in Manila, Trisha is, for sure, making her family proud—and at the same time, giving Filipinos a good name in the eyes of FIBA itself.
“Patrisha Concepcion’s remarkable performance as a statistician in the FIBA World Cup 2023 should inspire other girls who would like to be active in basketball and follow her path,” said FIBA Statistics and Data Head Maarouf Mawloud.
“Statisticians’ contributions, including the participation of many female statisticians in Japan and Indonesia, have been instrumental in achieving outstanding results across all three host countries.”
Wherever she goes from here, Concepcion is certain about one thing: her family will always be behind her.
“Ang lagi lang paalala sa’kin ni daddy, enjoy lang. Gusto lang niya akong maging masaya,” she said.