5 reasons why the Manila FIBA OQT was the best

MANILA, Philippines – The five-day 2016 FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament is Manila is done. While the Philippine national team wasn’t able to break through, the tournament was still memorable and very eventful and will go down as one of the best international sporting events to be hosted on our country’s soil.

 

Here are reasons why.

The tournament in Manila had serious star power.

France - Tony Parker (San Antonio), Boris Diaw (Utah), Joffrey Lauvergne Denver), Mickael Gelabale (who played on the Seattle Supersonics last two teams before they relocated to Oklahoma City) and Nando De Colo (who used to play for the San Antonio Spurs)

 

The OQT at Belgrade had:

Japan - Yuta Tabuse (who used to play for the Phoenix Suns)

Puerto Rico - JJ Barea (Dallas) and Peter Ramos (who once played for Washington)

 

And the OQT at Turin had:

Croatia - Mario Hezonja (Orlando) and Bojan Bogdanovic (Brooklyn)

Greece - Giannis Antetokounmpo (Milwaukee), Kostas Koufos (Sacramento), Thanasis Antetokounmpo (New York)

Iran - Hamed Haddadi (Memphis Grizzlies, Phoenix Suns)

Italy - Marco Belinelli (Charlotte), Andrea Bargnani (Brooklyn), Danilo Gallinari (Denver), 

Mexico - Jorge Ivan Gutierrez (Charlotte)

 

The NBA contingent featured three NBA champions in Parker, Diaw, and Thompson and Canada also brought in general manager, Steve Nash; a two-time NBA Most Valuable Player! Furthermore, Canada’s coach, Jay Triano, was a two-time Olympian who was drafted by the Los Angeles Lakers!

 

And Nando De Colo is with the reigning Euroleague champions, CSKA Moscow and is also the reigning Euroleague Most Valuable Player! That made for serious star power.

 

Speaking of Euroleague vets, De Colo’s CSKA Moscow defeated Turkish side, Fenerbahce, 101-96, for the championship that featured some players who took part in the OQT in Manila. Turkey’s national team also saw Feners Bobby Lee Dixon, Baris Hersek, and Melih Mahmutoglu taking part. 

 

Furthermore, all the NBA vets put on strong shows especially in their final matches making all the games all the more memorable to fans. 

 

The close games

Teams like New Zealand and Senegal winning fans over

New Zealand and Senegal won the fans over with their style of play — hard work, beautiful basketball, and a highly-disciplined team that was fun to watch.

 

Most people see the Haka performed during New Zealand’s rugby matches (it is of course also performed in weddings, funerals, or state receptions). Their basketball counterpart, the Tall Blacks, have been performing that too. If Philippine crowds first saw that it was during the 2014 FIBA World Championships when the NZ performed that in front of the American team. The Manila crowd got to see it up close thrice! And the Haka became one of the eagerly awaited sights during the Kiwis’ matches.

 

Even with the Philippines not advancing to the knockout rounds, the crowds still came to watch. They cheered, booed, cheered some more, and asked for selfies with everyone from the coaches and players right down to FIBA’s staff. Fandom indeed!