Men’s and U-16 tournaments SBP to hold SEABA cagings

MANILA, Philippines - The Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas earned the hosting rights for both the SEABA men’s and Under-16 championships on April 23-30 in a development that could jumpstart Gilas Pilipinas’ buildup for the 2017 FIBA Asia Cup and the succeeding new FIBA qualifying competition for the 2019 World Cup.

 SBP deputy executive director Butch Aquino immediately set a meeting today to discuss hosting details, including the playing venue after being informed by SEABA secretary general Dato Yeoh Choo Hock of the deal.

“It’s just a seven or eight-team tournament and it’s not difficult to handle. For the playing venue, it’s either Manila or you bring it in the province. The options are open,” Antonio told The STAR.

Gilas coach Chot Reyes said they’re taking the SEABA tourney seriously as it offers just one slot to the Asia Cup in Beirut in August. The Asia Cup, in turn, serves as the qualifier for the Division I play under the new FIBA competition system.

“It’s either you win the SEABA or you don’t go to Asia Cup,” said Reyes who is to start Gilas training next month with the SEABA tourney set in April.

Under the agreement of the SBP and the PBA, the Gilas cadet players will be released to the national team two months before a tourney. The 12 additional players named Sunday, meanwhile, will be made available to the training pool a month before the competition.

The SBP has hosted the FIBA Asia Championship in 2013 and the FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament in 2016 but has yet to hold the SEABA men’s championship featuring Southeast Asian teams including Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, Singapore, Brunei, Myanmar, Cambodia, Laos and Timor Leste.

The Philippines is a super power in the region, winning each of the last seven SEABA championships participated in by the country.

But Reyes siad the country’s SEABA rivals had improved tremendously. Curiously, even with naturalized player Marcus Douthit, Team Phl barely beat Thailand, 80-75, in the semifinals then barely squeezed out a 72-64 triumph over Indonesia in the gold-medal game in the 2015 SEA Games in Singapore.

Coach Tab Baldwin had at his disposal  Douthit, Troy Rosario, Kiefer Ravena, Mac Belo, Scottie Thompson, Norbert Torres, Glenn Khobuntin, Kevin Ferrer, Almond Vosotros, Jio Jalalon, Baser Amer and Paolo Rivero.

In the coming SEABA, Reyes said he’s fielding the strongest team he can form, and this may include June Mar Fajardo, Japeth Aguilar, Jason Castro, Terrence Romeo, Calvin Abueva, Paul Lee and Raymond Almazan.

Reyes said he’s also tapping in Andray Blatche if there’s no conflict in his schedule with his team in the Chinese league.

The SBP was awarded the SEABA hosting rights a day after naming a new 24-man training roster.