SBP gains cited in bid process

MANILA, Philippines - As the Philippines firms up its bid to host the FIBA World Cup in 2019, TV5 Sports head and MVP Sports Foundation executive director Chot Reyes said yesterday the SBP’s gains are a strong indication that the country is ready to roll out the red carpet for the best players on the planet.

The next FIBA World Cup will welcome a record 32 teams, the most since the event was inaugurated in 1950. The teams will be split into eight groups of four during the preliminary stage. The host nation will provide four venues for the preliminary games, assigning two groups each.

Reyes, the former Gilas head coach, cited the Philippines’ improved ranking in the FIBA ladder since the SBP’s formation as proof that the national basketball program is moving in the right direction. It’s also a plus point for the host to field a competitive team in the World Cup.

The Philippines has made remarkable strides in climbing up the FIBA totem pole, jumping 22 rungs in five years. In 2010, the Philippines was ranked No. 53. A year later, it rose to No. 45. Then, in 2013, the Philippines improved to No. 34. After the FIBA World Cup in Spain last year, the Philippines inched up to No. 31.

An SBP official said the Philippines could’ve have easily entered the top 30. “Senegal was ranked No. 30 and we beat Senegal at the World Cup in Spain,” said the official. “Jordan was ranked No. 28 but we defeated Jordan in our last two encounters, 77-71 at the FIBA Asia Championships in 2013 and 71-70 at the FIBA Asia Cup in Wuhan last year. South Korea was ranked No. 27 but we beat South Korea, 86-79, at the last FIBA Asia Championships and we finished ahead of South Korea in the final standings at the FIBA World Cup in Spain. We were No. 21 and South Korea No. 23. So we could argue that the Philippines should be ranked higher than Senegal, Jordan and South Korea in FIBA. We lost to South Korea by two at the Asian Games but that wasn’t a FIBA competition so it didn’t factor in the standings.”

Reyes also mentioned that by placing second to Iran at the FIBA Asia Championships in 2013, the Philippines made it back to the FIBA World Cup after a 36-year absence. And in Spain, the Philippines defeated Senegal, 81-79, for its first World Cup win in 40 years.  Despite a 1-4 record, the Philippines made its presence felt in Spain by capturing the MVF (Most Valuable Fan) award in the country category and by pushing Croatia, Argentina and Puerto Rico to the limit. Croatia barely beat Gilas, 81-78, in overtime while Argentina hacked out an 85-81 decision and Puerto Rico won, 77-73.

In Spain, the Philippines also figured prominently in terms of statistics as center Andray Blatche was the most efficient player in the tournament, overshadowing runner-up Pau Gasol. Blatche ranked first in rebounding (13.8), second in scoring (21.3), first in average minutes (33.8) and first in double-doubles (5). As a team, the Philippines ranked No. 5 in average rebounds (39.0), No. 1 in free throw accuracy (79.6 percent) and No. 1 in most average minutes.

Reyes added that for the first time in history, there are four Filipino representatives in FIBA with PLDT chairman/SBP president Manny V. Pangilinan heading the cast as a member of the 26-strong FIBA Central Board. The others are Jimmy Alapag in the FIBA Players Commission, Dr. Jose Raul Canlas in the FIBA Medical Commission and Atty. Edgar Francisco in the FIBA Legal Commission.

The 2019 FIBA World Cup will bring in 32 teams – the host country, five from Africa, seven from the Americas, seven from Asia/Oceania and 12 from Europe. If the Philippines or China will host the event, Asia/Oceania will enter a total of eight teams. For the first time, the FIBA World Cup will feature a two-year qualification period with six windows available for home-and-away games starting in November 2017 and moving to February, June, September and November in 2018 and February in 2019. Each team plays one home and one away game per window. Pairings will be announced by FIBA.

At the World Cup in Spain, Asia had three representatives – Iran, the Philippines and South Korea – with Australia the only Oceania team. “The new format will effectively mean a net gain of two teams for Asia,” said SBP adviser and former Asian Basketball Confederation (now FIBA Asia) secretary-general Mauricio (Moying) Martelino. “We will assume Australia and New Zealand to qualify from Oceania. That will leave five slots open for Asia. If China or the Philippines is the host in 2019, that will mean six slots for Asia.”

Martelino said the SBP’s vision and mission must be clearly spelled out before FIBA in the final bid proposal. “It’s not just our capability to stage this global event given our resources and facilities,” he said. “It’s also about legacy, what we can offer the world’s greatest players. Our passion for the game is unmatched the world over. We want FIBA to witness the passion of our people for basketball. If we host the 2019 World Cup, we guarantee an unforgettable experience and a new record in attendance. It will be an honor for the Philippines to showcase our organizational skills, hospitality and love of the game.”