Douthit to boost Phl bid in Singapore SEAG

MANILA, Philippines - The Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas will soon announce the composition of the team that will represent the country in the 28th SEA Games in Singapore in June.

The Philippines is out to keep the gold medal in the SEA Games, and this early everything points to another romp by the Filipinos.

Marcus Douthit, according to an SBP insider, will be back to lead the team that won all its six games in the 2013 SEA Games in Naypyidaw in Myanmar.

Except for a 13-point win over Singapore, the Philippines clobbered the rest, beating Cambodia by 50 points and the host country by a whopping 75 points.

Douthit, who found himself in the eye of a storm during the 2014 Asian Games, is still under contract with the SBP as its naturalized player.

Leading the locals in the 2013 team were Kevin Alas, Kiefer Ravena and Bobby Ray Parks.

He was benched by Gilas head coach Chot Reyes in a very crucial game against South Korea during the Asian Games due to “disciplinary reasons.”

But the rest is history and now Douthit is expected to carry the team to victory in Singapore.

The SBP has yet to name the head coach although the insider said the short list includes Nash Racela, Eric Altamirano, Junel Baculi and Louie Alas.

There were others who were considered for the job but was eliminated early on.

The SBP created a panel to search for the head coach for the SEA Games and the SEABA tournament in Singapore in April and set up a five-point criteria.

The candidates were screened based on their experience as member of the national team either as head coach or a member of the coaching staff, the tournaments they won internationally and locally, either in collegiate or commercial leagues, and any age-group tournaments.

The availability of the coach also weighed heavily in making the choice. 

The SBP insider said the team should be formed as soon as possible so they can start training in February.